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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.

In a statement responding to the US plans, Afghanistan's foreign ministry said nationals abroad could return in "confidence and peace of mind", insisting there was no safety threat.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

“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 decline in confidence is amplified by the tough job market for recent graduates and uncertainty about the role of artificial intelligence in the workplace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 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

I had Miss Nesbitt in both tenth and eleventh grades, and during those years I grew in confidence.

From "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" by Phillip Hoose

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.