confide

verb

kən-ˈfīd How to pronounce confide (audio)
Definition of confidenext
as in to hand
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another the local SPCA was looking for homes for a number of exotic animals confided to its care

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word confide distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of confide are commit, consign, entrust, and relegate. While all these words mean "to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose," confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance.

confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney

When is commit a more appropriate choice than confide?

While in some cases nearly identical to confide, commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody.

committed the felon to prison

When could consign be used to replace confide?

While the synonyms consign and confide are close in meaning, consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality.

consigned the damaging notes to the fire

Where would entrust be a reasonable alternative to confide?

In some situations, the words entrust and confide are roughly equivalent. However, entrust implies committing with trust and confidence.

the president is entrusted with broad powers

When would relegate be a good substitute for confide?

The words relegate and confide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of.

relegated to an obscure position in the company

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of confide One of the people in whom Palmer confided about her marital issues at the time was Caroline, a potter who, along with her builder husband, Phillip, had been living on the Woodstock property and working as a caretaker. —Lila Shapiro, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2025 Celebrity esthetician Joanna Czech has confided her fandom to Vogue. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2025 While there, Harper overhears crucial news in the bathroom, where Sweet Pea is confiding to Yasmin that her web of new grad connections throughout the bank has led her to believe that Pierpoint has taken an outsized bet on ESG funds. —Nina Li Coomes, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2024 Earlier in 2024, a teenager in Florida was an avid user of roleplaying chatbots and confided thoughts of self-harm to the AI before his suicide, according to reporting from The New York Times. —Reece Rogers, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for confide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confide
  1. leave
  2. give
  3. transfer
  4. trust
  5. entrust
  6. delegate
  7. recommend
  8. relinquish
Verb
  • With few options left, Adam begins considering and concocting ways to enact vengeance, but Basem, having been down that rageful path, advises him otherwise.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The department did not say how much money is left of the total $189 billion approved.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of leave
Verb
  • Huang gave Bibb a white T-shirt and some twine and showed her how to tie the fabric into a sausage shape.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
  • But state lawmakers have been looking for ways to give citizens and communities more of a voice in the decisions, and are focusing efforts this spring on Senate Bill 78.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of give
Verb
  • Revell said the suspect will need a significant amount of time to recover from his injuries after which he'll be transferred to a detention facility.
    — Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
  • According to Nature, the findings offer the first evidence for squirrels transferring the virus to primates.
    — Lillian Ali, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of transfer
Verb
  • But this situation could demand that Amorim trusts talented youngsters who are yet to play even one senior minute.
    — Mark Critchley, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
  • New Moon in Taurus on April 27: Honor the joy of being trusted.
    — Colin Bedell, Them., 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of trust
Verb
  • This shift toward autonomous AI agents marks a significant evolution beyond simple task automation, with leading organizations now entrusting AI systems to handle sophisticated workflows that require reasoning, planning, and adaptive decision-making across various business processes.
    — Bernard Marr, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
  • An insider suggests that these aren’t off the wall gambles but are all part of the plan, taking more familiar IP and genres and entrusting filmmakers to give it their own spin.
    — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of entrust
Verb
  • Francis delegated to two cardinals his role in presiding over Easter masses.
    — Phoebe Natanson, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2025
  • If a task can be reduced to rules and data flows, it can be delegated to an agent.
    — Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Definition of delegate
Verb
  • Harris created for women accounts on websites commonly used for prostitution and recommended prices to be charged and time allotments.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2025
  • What are your favorite NYC restaurants to recommend?
    — Nasha Smith, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of recommend
Verb
  • The New York congresswoman had relinquished her No. 4 leadership slot as House Republican Conference Chair since she had been named Trump’s UN pick, and Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) was elected in her place.
    — Emily Brooks, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
  • So Paul relinquished the same number of sacks and just one less pressure in 272 fewer pass blocking snaps than Armstead played.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of relinquish

Browse Nearby Words

confidants
confide
confided
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confide. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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