Definition of confidenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word confide distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of confide are commit, consign, entrust, and relegate. While all these words mean "to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose," confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

When is commit a more appropriate choice than confide?

While in some cases nearly identical to confide, 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

When could consign be used to replace confide?

While the synonyms consign and confide are close in meaning, consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

Where would entrust be a reasonable alternative to confide?

In some situations, the words entrust and confide are roughly equivalent. However, entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

When would relegate be a good substitute for confide?

The words relegate and confide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of confide This lawless crew shares dramaturgical DNA with the vice figures from medieval morality plays, personifications of sinfulness who would confide their schemes to the audience and make theatergoers their co-conspirators in a riveting game that obviously left its mark on a young Shakespeare. Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026 The game warden who conducted my background check confided that the state is so hard up for hunte-ed instructors that hunting experience is no longer a requirement for teaching the class. The Editors, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025 The investigation began in July 2016, when a church member in whom Taylor confided reported the claims to officials at the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the lawsuit says. Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025 White once confided that just about everyone on the UFC roster wants to get the call for the event, and Buffer echoed those sentiments. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confide
Verb
  • That is not too much to ask of students, our teachers, or the institutions entrusted with launching us into our careers as physicians, researchers, and healers.
    Uzma Rentia, STAT, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Success, instead, should be measured by whether a threat that unfolds is mitigated by the planning and the response of those who are entrusted to secure the scene.
    Juliette Kayyem, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Then Cash made another surprising move by leaving Vilade in to hit against Gaddis rather than pinch-hitting lefty Jake Fraley, and that also paid off when Vilade delivered an RBI single up the middle.
    Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The country’s labor market didn’t come to a standstill, as was the case in other countries in the region such as the United Arab Emirates where the vast majority of workers are migrants who tried to leave, but for Rozen, something new and troubling was laid bare.
    Theia Chatelle, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Limon won his Super Tiebreaker to hand the Scots the sweep.
    Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 2 May 2026
  • But Ottawa was whistled for consecutive penalties in the final minute of the frame to hand Boston a chance to answer.
    Jason Cooke, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • The casting has always managed to feel diverse, but in a guileless, incidental way, giving the appearance of multicultural inclusion without espousing any explicitly progressive viewpoints.
    Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Inning-ending calls have been overturned, giving hitters another opportunity that, in some cases, has led to game-changing home runs.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The family and foundation of Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi say the human rights activist has been denied proper treatment and has not gotten better since being transferred from prison to a hospital.
    Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
  • Over the coming two decades, baby boomers and older generations are projected to transfer around $84 trillion to younger heirs and charitable causes by 2045.
    Ed Smith-Lewis, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • April 20 – May 20 Someone meets you in a way that feels easy to trust today.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 2 May 2026
  • Brown leaned toward Towns-heavy lineups and was hesitant to fully trust the dual-big pairing.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • That is why the key question is no longer which jobs disappear, but which tasks and workflows are being delegated—and where humans still retain a comparative advantage.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, which is in charge of delegating federal funds for autism research, is now stacked with individuals who hold this view.
    David Rivera, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • As part of Lololee’s deal, federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison term at the low end of the sentencing range, according to the court filing.
    Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Pastels, jet black, red, blue, and gray are colors designers recommend avoiding for garage doors.
    Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 26 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Confide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confide. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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