self-confidence
Americannoun
-
realistic confidence in one's own judgment, ability, power, etc.
- Synonyms:
- poise, self-respect, self-possession, assurance
-
excessive or inflated confidence in one's own judgment, ability, etc.
- Synonyms:
- self-esteem, conceit
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-confidence
First recorded in 1630–40
Explanation
Self-confidence is a characteristic of believing firmly in your own abilities and strengths. It took a lot of self-confidence to speak up in that student council meeting and say what you were thinking! If you have no doubt that you'll be able to perform your new song at the school talent show, you've got self-confidence. We've been using this noun since the 17th century for a particular type of confidence that's focused on individual strength and the absence of self-doubt. Your self-confidence is what allows you to do things confidently, assuredly, and with conviction.
Vocabulary lists containing self-confidence
Twins
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"With Friends Like These..." by Dorothy Rowe
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Vocabulary Review, Unit 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Just go in with self-confidence; you'll be solid."
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
Her return visit to Auschwitz, around the same time, dissolved much of her angst, allowing her to pursue her vocation with greater self-confidence.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Yet even for the CCP, Badiucao says, the brazenness with which police arrested an artist as internationally famous as Gao Zhen reveals an unprecedented level of self-confidence.
From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026
Parents say having positive women of color as role models is crucial for building self-confidence in girls of color.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
He was only twelve then, but he could have been twenty-two: his quick-fire intelligence was already being cooled by gravity, the brittle self-assuredness of adolescence already annealing into the self-confidence of adulthood.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
