confidante

noun

con·​fi·​dante ˈkän-fə-ˌdänt How to pronounce confidante (audio)
also -ˌdant
-dənt
Synonyms of confidantenext
: confidant
especially : one who is a woman

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.

Examples of confidante in a Sentence

She was her closest friend and confidante. only her closest confidantes know what she's going through
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For Brian, that’s being 17 years old with no classmate confidantes to call his own. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026 Today, the singer is managed by Jan Christiansen, and her circle of confidantes is tighter than ever. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026 Albeit, Rudd’s dramatic arc with his bandmate and closest confidante Sandy (McDonald) provides for some solid buddy comedy antics as Rick attempts to prove himself. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2026 His decision to return for one more season followed weeks of discussion with Chiefs coach Andy Reid, teammates, family and close confidantes — including his fiancé and music megastar Taylor Swift. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confidante

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French confidente, feminine of confident confidant

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of confidante was in 1662

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Cite this Entry

“Confidante.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confidante. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

confidante

noun
con·​fi·​dante ˈkän-fə-ˌdant How to pronounce confidante (audio)
-ˌdänt
: confidant
especially : one who is a woman

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