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Synonyms

in confidence

Idioms  

  1. Also, in strict confidence. Privately, on condition that what is said will not be revealed. For example, The doctor told her in confidence that her mother was terminally ill, or He told us in strict confidence that Gail was pregnant. This idiom was first recorded in 1632. Also see take into one's confidence.

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.

“We did see a big decrease in confidence among retirees this year — a decline that we haven’t seen since post-COVID,” said Craig Copeland, director of wealth benefits research at EBRI.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

The fall in confidence comes despite an uptick in business activity in February, according to recent PMI data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

The service, at York High School, is free to use and can be accessed in confidence by parents who need additional support.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

However, the new survey found double-digit, across-the-board declines in confidence in the last year, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

Before she offered Ifemelu the job, she said, tone hushed in confidence, “My husband did not support me when I started this, because he thought men would chase me if I went to seek advertising.”

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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.