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verb C1 Advanced

confide

kuhn-FYD

Confide (verb) means to tell someone a secret, trusting them to keep it private. Example: “She confided in her sister about the job offer.”

verb
1
To tell someone a secret, trusting them to keep it private.
"She confided in her sister about the job offer."
"He confided his fears to no one but his diary."
2
To entrust a task or responsibility to someone.
"The estate was confided to a trusted lawyer."

How to use confide

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo share a secret with someone you trust, or to hand over responsibility for something.

Common mistake

Use "confide in someone," not "confide to someone," when sharing a secret.

Common pairings
confide in a friend confide a secret

Word forms

confided past tense, confides singular

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She _____ in her sister about the job offer.

Etymology

From Latin confīdere, "to have full trust in" — from con- + fidere ("to trust"). A doublet of "faith" and "fidelity."

Origin: Latin

trust commit entrust intrust

Related words

Rhymes for confide

See all rhymes for confide →

Frequently asked questions

What does “confide” mean?

The word “confide” means to tell someone a secret, trusting them to keep it private. In plain terms, to share a secret with someone you trust, or to hand over responsibility for something.

How do you pronounce “confide”?

“Confide” is pronounced kuhn-FYD (/kənˈfaɪd/ in IPA).

How do you use “confide” in a sentence?

Here is “confide” used in a sentence: “She confided in her sister about the job offer.”

What part of speech is “confide”?

“Confide” is a verb.

Where does the word “confide” come from?

The word “confide” comes from Latin. From Latin confīdere, "to have full trust in" — from con- + fidere ("to trust"). A doublet of "faith" and "fidelity.".

How many meanings does “confide” have?

“Confide” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to tell someone a secret, trusting them to keep it private.

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