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 Instead, Shawn stages his story as a panel of intimate testimonies, confided to us alone. Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026 Whitlock reveals that to keep news of Husky out of the press, Ike called war correspondents together and confided plans for Husky. Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026 Her work in this comprehensive anthology braids politics, gender, history and memory into confiding and powerful lyrics. Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for confide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confide
Verb
  • Principle entrusted the track to his friend Louie Gomez, who remixed it and passed it to DJ Frankie Knuckles.
    Eric Henderson, CBS News, 14 May 2026
  • After all, the thinking went, what frontier lab would want to entrust its data to a company almost half-owned by Meta?
    Richard Nieva, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • Soon after leaving school, the organization Fighting Words changed that for me.
    Via Riverhead, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
  • Rather than leave existing clients in the lurch, Lee allowed IDW to essentially inherit those accounts, allowing the fledgling business to become profitable within its first year of operation.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Even Manny has to hand it to him, but Hartman proves he's matured and insists that saving the day was a team effort.
    Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 23 May 2026
  • The fact that this racist thug has been handed policing power by Netanyahu says more about the state of Israel’s democracy and political values—and in particular about the prime minister’s values—than many Israelis might like to admit.
    Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • Simple and streamlined, this linen tank top is one of the most versatile additions to any travel wardrobe—I’m even eyeing it in a few different colors, given its affordable price tag.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026
  • Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie gave him Washington’s name.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • SpaceX is developing the prototype to be capable of refueling midflight in a complex process that requires two Starships equipped with docking adapters to meet in orbit to transfer propellant.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 23 May 2026
  • Red Crescent emergency responders and police personnel transfer the bodies of Italian tourists from a police speed boat to an ambulance in Male on May 19, 2026.
    CBS News, CBS News, 23 May 2026
Verb
  • Your optimism works best when people can trust the information in front of them.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 23 May 2026
  • That was before the summer of more than 100 panic attacks, before the months of medical leave, and before Leneker—a former C-suite executive, founder and CEO of the Center for Joyful Work, and trusted advisor to Fortune 100 companies—built the method that became her debut book.
    Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Verb
  • The gap between founders who layer AI on top of their admin and founders who delegate to it is widening.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • The core mechanism of the Constitution is the way that the United States government is funded through taxes voted by Congress, through spending voted by Congress, and through financial power delegated by Congress to the president.
    David Frum, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • Experts recommend lowering the level by one to two feet.
    Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026
  • Hook recommends going to your grocery store deli counter to ask for slices or cheese blocks instead of buying them already prepackaged.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 24 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Confide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confide. Accessed 25 May. 2026.

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