confident

adjective

con·​fi·​dent ˈkän-fə-dənt 

-ˌdent

1

: full of conviction : certain

confident of success

confident that conditions will improve

2

: having or showing assurance and self-reliance

a confident young businessman

a confident manner

3

obsolete : trustful, confiding

confidently adverb

Did you know?

Is it confident or confidant? (Or is it confidante?)

If you find yourself unsure whether you should choose confident or confidant don’t feel bad; confidant comes to English from the French word confident, and when the word first entered our language it was often spelled that way, rather than as confidant. The difference is quite simple: confidant is a noun (meaning "a person in whom you confide things"), and confident is an adjective (defined as “having confidence”). You may well be confident in your confidant, but you would not be confidant in your confident. Although this distinction has not always been observed by writers, confidante is generally used for a female confidant. The word confidant is more frequently used to describe a man, but it may be applied to either gender.

Synonyms of confident

• assured
• optimistic
• hopeful
• secure
• self-confident
• proud
• self-assured

Examples of confident in a Sentence

I am confident about my ability to do the job.

The players seem more relaxed and confident this season.

He has become more confident in his Spanish-speaking skills.

They have a confident air about them.

We are confident that conditions will improve soon.

Recent Examples on the Web

With her support, Milo is able to face his fear and become more confident. —Sara Rowe Mount, Parents, 26 Dec. 2025

McDowell, who practiced all season but did not play in games a year ago as a redshirt after playing sparingly as a freshman, carries himself as a confident player not surprised by his success. —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 25 Dec. 2025

Even American civilians, who were once confident about winning, became unsettled by the sudden Nazi offensive. —Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025

Tauer is confident his best player will be focused on doing what is best for the team. —Dean Spiros, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin confīdent-, confīdens "trusting in oneself, assured, presumptuous," from present participle of confīdere "to put trust in, have confidence in, be sure" — more at confide

First Known Use

circa 1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for confident

• overconfident

Kids Definition

confident

adjective

con·​fi·​dent ˈkän-fəd-ənt 

-fə-ˌdent

: having or showing confidence : sure, self-assured

confident of winning

a confident manner

confidently adverb