confidential

[ kon-fi-den-shuhl ]

/ ˌkɒn fɪˈdɛn ʃəl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: confidential / confidentiality / confidentially / confidentialness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

spoken, written, acted on, etc., in strict privacy or secrecy; secret: a confidential remark.

indicating confidence or intimacy; imparting private matters: a confidential tone of voice.

having another's trust or confidence; entrusted with secrets or private affairs: a confidential secretary.

(of information, a document, etc.)

bearing the classification confidential, usually being above restricted and below secret.
limited to persons authorized to use information, documents, etc., so classified.Compare classification (def. 5).

OTHER WORDS FOR confidential

1 restricted, private.

2 intimate, familiar.

3 trusted, trustworthy, private.

See synonyms for confidential on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of confidential

First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin confīdenti(a) confidence + -al¹

synonym study for confidential

3. See familiar.

OTHER WORDS FROM confidential

con·fi·den·ti·al·i·ty, con·fi·den·tial·ness, nouncon·fi·den·tial·ly, adverbnon·con·fi·den·tial, adjectivenon·con·fi·den·tial·ly, adverb

non·con·fi·den·tial·ness, nounnon·con·fi·den·ti·al·i·ty, nounqua·si-con·fi·den·tial, adjectivequa·si-con·fi·den·tial·ly, adverb

Words nearby confidential

confidence limits, confidence man, confidence trick, confident, confidente, confidential, confidential communication, confidential informant, confiding, configurate, configuration

How to use confidential in a sentence

Former Washington Football Team cheerleaders who appeared in lewd videos that team employees secretly produced from outtakes of 2008 and 2010 swimsuit calendar shoots have reached confidential settlements with the team.
Former cheerleaders settle with Washington Football Team as program’s future is in doubt|Beth Reinhard|February 10, 2021|Washington Post
The first filings with the SEC are for its originally confidential Draft Registration Statement to go IPO in early 2020.
PSA: Most aggregate VC trend data is garbage|Danny Crichton|February 9, 2021|TechCrunch
Wilkinson’s probe also includes information about a 2009 confidential settlement.
Beth Wilkinson close to completing Washington Football Team investigation, Roger Goodell says|Mark Maske|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
Scott said she wrote the story with the understanding that it would be confidential until Sheehan’s death.
Seeing the Pentagon Papers in a New Light|by Stephen Engelberg|February 3, 2021|ProPublica

Medical data, on the other hand, are highly confidential and usually not seen by the team at all — unless “there is something that can affect the team,” Lorang says.
As biometrics boom, who owns athletes’ data? It depends on the sport.|Nick Busca|February 2, 2021|Washington Post
A year later, the suit ended in a settlement, the details of which remain confidential.
The Godfather of Right-Wing Radio|Caitlin Dickson|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The provision of confidential details to the IG does not mean that they will be publicly released.
The Peace Corps' Awful Secret|Tim Mak|August 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now the Supreme Leader has thrown the confidential details out into the open and marked his line in the sand.
Iran Supreme Leader Spills the Nuke Talk Secrets|IranWire|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In recent months Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has insisted on keeping the negotiating details confidential.
Iran Supreme Leader Spills the Nuke Talk Secrets|IranWire|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But L.A. Confidential was important for temporarily resuscitating film noir.
The Great Character Actor: Guy Pearce on His Brilliant Career, From ‘Priscilla’ to ‘The Rover’|Richard Porton|May 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nine lusty-lunged adults in that one room prohibited confidential speech.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
As soon as Michael made sure of the duel, he saw his confidential clerk.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
It emboldens me to ask another favor—that you will regard what I have told you of my plans as confidential.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
He entreated her to bear in mind that the disclosures of the afternoon were strictly confidential.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Amongst well-bred persons, every conversation is considered in a measure confidential.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley

British Dictionary definitions for confidential

confidential

/ (ˌkɒnfɪˈdɛnʃəl) /

adjective

spoken, written, or given in confidence; secret; private

entrusted with another's confidence or secret affairsa confidential secretary

suggestive of or denoting intimacya confidential approach

Derived forms of confidential

confidentiality or confidentialness, nounconfidentially, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

confidential

OTHER WORDS FOR confidential

Origin of confidential

synonym study for confidential

OTHER WORDS FROM confidential

Words nearby confidential

Words related to confidential

How to use confidential in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for confidential

Derived forms of confidential