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confide

verb
con·​fide | \ kÉ™n-ˈfÄ«d How to pronounce confide (audio) \
confided; confiding

Definition of confide

intransitive verb

1 : to have confidence : trust We cannot confide wholly in our own powers.
2 : to show confidence by imparting secrets confide in a friend

transitive verb

1 : to tell confidentially He dared not confide the secret to his family.
2 : to give to the care or protection of another : entrust … do not confide your children to strangers.— Mavis Gallant
Other Words from confide Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about confide

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Other Words from confide

confider noun

Choose the Right Synonym for confide

commit, entrust, confide, consign, relegate mean to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose. commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody. committed the felon to prison entrust implies committing with trust and confidence. the president is entrusted with broad powers confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance. confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality. consigned the damaging notes to the fire relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of. relegated to an obscure position in the company

Examples of confide in a Sentence

He confided that he was very unhappy with his job. the local SPCA was looking for homes for a number of exotic animals confided to its care

Recent Examples on the Web

 On July 23, 2018, the previous day, Meyer texted with someone outside the program and confided that Smith would be fired that day. — Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com, "Ohio State releases Urban Meyer-Zach Smith investigation records: Everything you need to know," 2 Aug. 2019 His introspective songs came across as the musings of a troubled family member confiding his doubts and anxieties rather than the larger-than-life pronouncements of a rap entertainer. — Greg Kot, chicagotribune.com, "Pitchfork Music Fest 2019: 3 days of heat, rain and music rich in cultural diversity," 22 July 2019 Nearly a decade later, in 2017, Hulse writes, McGahn confided to Trump strategist Steve Bannon his continued interest in Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court choice. — Joan Biskupic, Washington Post, "The partisan players transforming the Supreme Court," 21 June 2019 Mandy Facetimes her best friend, confiding to her — and of course to us — about her flirtation with a co-worker. — Caryn James, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Blowing Up Right Now': Film Review," 16 June 2019 On Thursday, Swift went live on Instagram to share big news about her seventh album Lover, and LiLo took it as an opportunity to say hi — and also, confide a strange detail about mom Dina Lohan's days as a cat. — Kaitlin Reilly, refinery29.com, "Lindsay Lohan Crashed Taylor Swift's Livestream To Talk About Cats," 15 June 2019 Photo: Rana Young for The Wall Street Journal Sarah Ford first confided her feelings to her mother, Susan Ford, who immediately made an appointment with Sarah’s pediatrician, Ashley Merrick. — Laura Landro, WSJ, "The Psychiatrist Can See Your Child Now, Virtually," 8 Jan. 2019 Aside from Criss, other stars such as Idris Elba, Chrissy Teigen and Steven Spielberg have all confided in the new platform to bring content to life. — Tomás Mier, PEOPLE.com, "Darren Criss Talks 'Unexpected' Dave Matthews Cover with Steve Aoki and New Show Royalties," 15 July 2019 According to royal biographer Andrew Morton, author of Diana: Her True Story, before her divorce Princess Diana confided to her close friend James Colthurst that Charles was obviously disappointed by Harry's arrival. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Princess Diana Once Said Prince Charles Was Very Disappointed When Prince Harry Was Born," 27 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'confide.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of confide

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

History and Etymology for confide

early Scots, borrowed from Latin confīdere "to put trust in, have confidence in," from con- con- + fīdere "to trust (in), rely (on)" going back to Indo-European *bhei̯dh- "trust, entrust" — more at faith entry 1

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More Definitions for confide

confide

verb
How to pronounce confide (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of confide

: to tell (something that is secret or private) to someone you trust

See the full definition for confide in the English Language Learners Dictionary

confide

verb
con·​fide | \ kÉ™n-ˈfÄ«d How to pronounce confide (audio) \
confided; confiding

Kids Definition of confide

1 : to have or show faith confide in a doctor's skill
2 : to display trust by telling secrets She needed to confide in a friend.
3 : to tell without anyone else knowing I confided the secret to a pal.
4 : entrust sense 2 The property was confided to their care.

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