confide

verb

con·​fide kən-ˈfīd 

confided; confiding

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

confider noun

Synonyms

• commend
• commit
• consign
• delegate
• deliver
• entrust
• intrust
• give
• give over
• hand
• hand over
• leave
• pass
• recommend
• repose
• transfer
• transmit
• trust
• turn over
• vest

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

In reality, Reubens had been quietly battling lung cancer for six years, confiding only in a small circle of close friends. —Lizzie Hyman, People.com, 24 May 2025

His son-in-law, Nick, in whom June had confided the plan earlier in the hour. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 29 Apr. 2025

The girl confided to her foster parent that she had been abused numerous times by Boyd — but investigators unearthed the full extent of her horrific treatment in a series of interviews over weeks, court documents said. —Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2025

One morning, the two of them went for a run, during which Paul confided that she was professionally demoralized. —Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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 *b^hei̯d^h- "trust, entrust" — more at faith entry 1

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing confide

• confide in

Rhymes for confide

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied

Kids Definition

confide

verb

con·​fide kən-ˈfīd 

confided; confiding

1

: to have confidence : trust

confide in a doctor's skill

2

: to show confidence by telling secrets

confided in her mother

3

: to tell in confidence

confide a secret to a friend

4

: entrust sense 1

confide one's safety to the police

confider noun

Etymology

Middle English confiden "to confide, trust," from early French confider or Latin confidere (both, same meaning), from Latin con-, com- "with, together" and fidere "to trust" — related to faith