confidence
gb/kˈɑnfədəns/ us/kˈɑnfədəns/
B1
English
~ 1400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
belief in one's own abilities
The feeling that you can do something well and are sure about yourself.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has confidence in [oneself/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'confidence' with 'confidant', which is a person you trust, not the feeling itself.
Synonyms
self-assurance (Slightly more formal and emphasizes calm certainty about oneself.)
|
self-confidence (Direct synonym, often interchangeable in most contexts.)
Antonyms
insecurity (A feeling of uncertainty or lack of confidence about oneself.)
Collocations
boost confidence
|lose confidence
|gain confidence
|build confidence
|lack confidence
Themes
emotions
|personal_development
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She spoke with great confidence during the meeting.
- After months of practice, he finally had the confidence to perform on stage.
- The teacher's praise gave me more confidence in my abilities.
- His confidence grew as he gained more experience.
Learner examples
- I have confidence in my work.
- She talks with confidence.
- He has confidence to try new things.
- The coach helped me get more confidence.
Noun
B1
state
2
trust in someone or something
The feeling that you can trust someone or something.
Usage pattern:
confidence in [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes mistakenly say 'confidence on' instead of 'confidence in'.
Synonyms
trust (A general belief in someone's honesty or ability; broader than 'confidence'.)
Antonyms
distrust (A lack of trust or belief in reliability.)
Collocations
have confidence in
|place confidence in
|win confidence
|lose confidence
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I have complete confidence in her leadership.
- The public's confidence in the government has decreased.
- We placed our confidence in the team's ability to win.
Learner examples
- I have confidence in my friend.
- We have confidence in our teacher.
- He lost confidence in the plan.
Noun
formal
B2
entity
3
secret told to someone trusted
Something private you tell to someone you trust, expecting them not to tell anyone else.
Usage pattern:
in confidence
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'confidence' here with the feeling of self-assurance; context is important.
Synonyms
secret (Something not known to others; less formal than 'confidence'.)
Antonyms
disclosure (The act of making secret information known.)
Collocations
tell in confidence
|share a confidence
|betray a confidence
Themes
relationships
|privacy
|communication
Examples
- He told me the news in strict confidence.
- She shared a personal confidence with her best friend.
- Revealing that information would be betraying a confidence.
Learner examples
- I told her my story in confidence.
- He shared a confidence with me.
- Please keep this in confidence.
Grammar
Dictionary form
confidence
IPA
GB/kˈɑnfədəns/
US/kˈɑnfədəns/
Syllables & stress
con - fid - ence (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (con)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: confidence
- Plural: confidence, confidences
Word family
Forms
confidences
noun
Core family
confident
adjective B1
confidently
adverb B1
Related words
confide
verb B2
confidential
adjective B2
confidentiality
noun C1
overconfidence
noun
overconfident
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
unconfident
adjective
Advanced or less common
confidant
noun
Expressions
confidence trick
1/kˈɑnfədəns tɹˈɪk/
fixed phrase
fraud using gained trust
A dishonest act where someone gains your trust to cheat you.
Examples
- He was caught running a classic confidence trick.
- The scam was just another confidence trick.
in confidence
1/ˈɪn kˈɑnfədəns/
fixed phrase
formal
privately and secretly
If you say something in confidence, you tell it privately and expect it not to be told to others.
Examples
- She told me about her plans in confidence.
- This information was given to us in confidence.
shake someone's confidence
1/ʃˈeɪk sˈʌmwˌʌnz kˈɑnfədəns/
fixed phrase
reduce trust or self-assurance
To make someone less sure about themselves or something they believe in.
Examples
- The loss shook the team's confidence.
- Her mistake shook her confidence in her abilities.
vote of confidence
1/vˈoʊt əv kˈɑnfədəns/
fixed phrase
formal show of support
An action or statement that shows you support someone or something.
Examples
- The board gave the CEO a vote of confidence.
- Winning the award was a vote of confidence from her peers.
boost someone's confidence
1/bˈust sˈʌmwˌʌnz kˈɑnfədəns/
fixed phrase
Increase someone's confidence
To help someone believe in themselves more.
Examples
- Her kind words really boosted my confidence before the interview.
- Winning the competition boosted his confidence.
boost someone's confidence
2/bˈust sˈʌmwˌʌnz kˈɑnfədəns/
fixed phrase
increase self-assurance
To make someone feel more sure about what they can do.
Examples
- The teacher's kind words really boosted my confidence.
- Scoring early in the game boosted the team's confidence.