confident
Americanadjective
-
having strong belief or full assurance; sure.
confident of fulfillment.
-
sure of oneself; having no uncertainty about one's own abilities, correctness, successfulness, etc.; self-confident; bold.
a confident speaker.
- Synonyms:
- intrepid, assured, self-reliant
-
excessively bold; presumptuous.
-
Obsolete. trustful or confiding.
noun
adjective
-
having or showing confidence or certainty; sure
confident of success
-
sure of oneself; bold
-
presumptuous; excessively bold
Usage
What are other ways to say confident?
The adjective confident means “having strong belief or full assurance.” How does confident compare to synonyms certain, sure, and positive? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of confident
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin confīdent- (stem of confīdēns ), present participle of confīdere. See confide, -ent
Explanation
If you're confident you are sure about something, someone, or yourself. He was confident he could keep his balance and cross the river on the skinny log, but he wasn't so confident that the log was strong enough to hold him. Confident is often a word of assurance. Someone may ask, "Are you sure that's the right way to do it?" and then, just to be assured, they might say, "So, you're confident that's the right wire to cut so the bomb doesn't blow?" Being really sure of something or being sure of yourself is being confident. "He held his head high, but not in an arrogant or show-off way; he was just confident about who he was. He liked himself."
Vocabulary lists containing confident
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Commonly Confused Words, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Hooked on a Feeling, List 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Shippers will need to see an extended period of calm before they are confident enough to sail normally through the strait.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
Other research shows that a majority of Americans are not confident that they could distinguish between an AI-generated video and a real one.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
Given the size of the evacuation area, “we’re very confident that our evacuation zones mean that anybody outside of that area does not need any personal protective equipment,” Freeman said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026
French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said she was "very sad" about the action taken by the players but remained "deeply confident" the issue will be resolved.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
He sounded a lot more confident than he felt.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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.
