confidential

1 of 2

adjective

con·​fi·​den·​tial ˌkän-fə-ˈden(t)-shəl 

1

a

: intended for or restricted to the use of a particular person, group, or class : private, secret

confidential information

b

: containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could be prejudicial to the national interest compare secret, top secret

2

: marked by intimacy or willingness to confide

a confidential tone

3

: entrusted with confidences (see confidence sense 4)

a confidential clerk

confidentiality

ˌkän-fə-ˌden(t)-shē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

confidentially

ˌkän-fə-ˈden(t)-sh(ə-)lē 

adverb

confidentiality

2 of 2

noun

con·​fi·​den·​ti·​al·​i·​ty ˌkän-fə-ˌden(t)-shē-ˈa-lə-tē 

-ˌden(t)-ˈsha-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being confidential, private, or secret

federal law establishes the confidentiality of clinical records concerning voluntary patients

—D. W. Maurer & V. H. Vogel

Synonyms of confidential

Adjective

• private
• secret
• classified
• personal
• undisclosed
• esoteric
• intimate

Examples of confidential in a Sentence

Adjective

These documents are completely confidential.

“I have something to tell you,” John said in a confidential tone.

Her voice was quiet and confidential.

She worked as a confidential secretary to the mayor for many years.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

No government agency should be able to leverage citizens’ confidential information because those individuals called into question the credentials of that agency’s leadership. — Isabella Herrera, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026

Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026

The person asked not to be identified discussing confidential performance figures. — Yun Li, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026

Tech + Innovation OpenAI pushed back against Apple's trade secrets lawsuit in a blog post early Tuesday, challenging the iPhone-maker’s bid to gain a preliminary injunction involving two former Apple employees and alleged confidential information. — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin confīdentia, taken as base of confidence entry 1 + -al entry 1 (perhaps after French confidentiel)

First Known Use

Adjective

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for confidential

• differential
• evidential
• inessential
• inferential
• pestilential
• quintessential
• unessential
• equipotential
• experiential
• geopotential
• jurisprudential
• nonresidential

Kids Definition

confidential

adjective

con·​fi·​den·​tial ˌkän-fə-ˈden-chəl 

1

: secret entry 1 sense 1a, private

confidential information

2

: indicating or suggesting closeness : intimate

a confidential tone of voice

3

: trusted with secret matters

a confidential secretary

confidentially

-ˈdench-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

confidential

adjective

con·​fi·​den·​tial ˌkän-fi-ˈden-chəl 

1

: known or conveyed only to a limited number of people

a confidential disclosure

2

: marked by or indicative of intimacy, mutual trust, or willingness to confide especially between parties one of whom is in a position of superiority

the confidential relationship of doctor and patient

3

: containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could be prejudicial to the national interest

confidentiality

ˌkän-fi-ˌden-chē-ˈa-lə-tē 

noun

confidentially adverb