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
- self-confident adjective
- self-confidently adverb
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.
His self-confidence stems from a deep understanding of the rival he faces.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
"Iceland is strong economically, but also in terms of national self-confidence, and thus able to make this decision," she said.
From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026
As his first season progressed, Nelson leaned on the color analysts he worked with like Eric Karros, and the rest of the SportsNet LA crew to help restore some self-confidence.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026
We regularly took our toddlers to the park so they could build self-confidence on the jungle gyms, and we took our teenagers to visit the city’s cultural attractions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025
I realized early on that I was one of the few nomads in the school, and that gave me courage, self-confidence.
From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola
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.
