confidence

1 of 2

noun

con·​fi·​dence ˈkän-fə-dən(t)s How to pronounce confidence (audio)
-ˌden(t)s
1
a
: a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances
had perfect confidence in her ability to succeed
met the risk with brash confidence
b
: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way
have confidence in a leader
2
: the quality or state of being certain : certitude
they had every confidence of success
3
a
: a relation of trust or intimacy
took his friend into his confidence
b
: reliance on another's discretion
Their story was told in strictest confidence.
c
: support especially in a legislative body
vote of confidence
4
: a communication made in confidence : secret
accused him of betraying a confidence

confidence

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or adept at swindling by false promises
a confidence game
a confidence man
Choose the Right Synonym for confidence

confidence, assurance, self-possession, aplomb mean a state of mind or a manner marked by easy coolness and freedom from uncertainty, diffidence, or embarrassment.

confidence stresses faith in oneself and one's powers without any suggestion of conceit or arrogance.

the confidence that comes from long experience

assurance carries a stronger implication of certainty and may suggest arrogance or lack of objectivity in assessing one's own powers.

handled the cross-examination with complete assurance

self-possession implies an ease or coolness under stress that reflects perfect self-control and command of one's powers.

answered the insolent question with complete self-possession

aplomb implies a manifest self-possession in trying or challenging situations.

handled the reporters with great aplomb

Examples of confidence in a Sentence

Noun The class gave me more confidence. He lacked the confidence to succeed. The experience gave her the confidence to start her own business. Good grades boosted her confidence. It takes time to build confidence when you are learning a new skill. They have an air of confidence about them. She has done little to gain their confidence. School officials express confidence that the problem will soon be resolved.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Royals saw a difference in his delivery, his pitches and, mostly, his confidence. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 Mar. 2024 Employee confidence, as measured by the company rating website Glassdoor, has been falling steadily as layoffs by tech and media companies have grabbed headlines. Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 More than 6 in 10 American adults, including about one-third of Democrats, lacked confidence that Biden has the mental capacity to serve effectively as president, according to a poll for the Associated Press released earlier this week. David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Yet despite obvious exhaustion and a host of sacrifices, Ukrainian troops still exude confidence and often a personal commitment to fight. Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2024 The top reasons why were the same as women in the U.S.: a lack of confidence and fear of repercussions. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 Where spring performance could matter for veteran players, to an extent at least, is with the confidence level of players coming off a down year or down years. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 This program is designed to teach soft job skills that are transferable, provide students with a sense of independence and confidence, and ultimately help place them in jobs within the community. Laurie Larsh, Charlotte Observer, 7 Mar. 2024 Even cybersecurity startups focused on emerging technology with a likely long tail to commercial success are still garnering investor interest, indicating long-term investor confidence in the sector. David Dewalt, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'confidence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English confydence, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French confidence, borrowed from Latin confīdentia, from confīdent-, confīdens "trusting in oneself, confident" + -ia -ia entry 1

Adjective

from attributive use of confidence entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of confidence was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near confidence

Cite this Entry

“Confidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confidence. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

confidence

1 of 2 noun
con·​fi·​dence ˈkän-fəd-ən(t)s How to pronounce confidence (audio)
-fə-ˌden(t)s
1
: a feeling of trust or belief
had confidence in our coach
2
: a feeling of certainty : assurance
spoke with great confidence
3
a
: reliance on another's secrecy or loyalty
told us in confidence
b
: legislative support
vote of confidence
4
: something told in confidence : secret

confidence

2 of 2 adjective
: of, relating to, or skilled at swindling by false promises
a confidence game
a confidence man

More from Merriam-Webster on confidence

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