confide
verb
con·fide kən-ˈfīd 
confided; confiding
intransitive verb
1
: to have confidence : trust
We cannot confide wholly in our own powers.
2
: to show confidence by imparting secrets
confide in a friend
transitive verb
1
: to tell confidentially
He dared not confide the secret to his family.
2
: to give to the care or protection of another : entrust
… do not confide your children to strangers.
Mavis Gallant
Mavis Gallant confider noun
Synonyms
- commend
- commit
- consign
- delegate
- deliver
- entrust
- intrust
- give
- give over
- hand
- hand over
- leave
- pass
- recommend
- repose
- transfer
- transmit
- trust
- turn over
- vest
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He confided that he was very unhappy with his job. the local SPCA was looking for homes for a number of exotic animals confided to its care
Recent Examples on the Web Students confide in him about the violence that touches their lives, the deacon told the Tribune. Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug. 2022 Despite being blunt about everything else in her life, Jones did not confide the truth about her mental state to audiences or to her View co-hosts. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, 2 June 2022 And men are less likely to have women confide in them about their abortions. Glamour, 13 May 2022 Those who set their dating app location to Ukraine have used the app to donate funds, provide housing to refugees, and serve as someone Ukrainians can confide in during this challenging time. Amanda Florian, ELLE, 11 May 2022 Sister Catherine Cesnik of the Archbishop Keough High School in Baltimore is someone students often confide in. Sophie Hanson, Harper's BAZAAR, 6 May 2022 The desire to confide, to be seen, is a universal human one; personal narrative is a way of reaping art from that desire. Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2022 In the meantime Zhytelna, who speaks English as a third language, continues to confide and confess and cry with the teammate whose country is waging war on hers. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2022 The Arizona bill has the potential to upend the common reality that a teacher is often a person students choose to confide in. Michael Smolens Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2022 See More
Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug. 2022 Despite being blunt about everything else in her life, Jones did not confide the truth about her mental state to audiences or to her View co-hosts. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, 2 June 2022 And men are less likely to have women confide in them about their abortions. Glamour, 13 May 2022 Those who set their dating app location to Ukraine have used the app to donate funds, provide housing to refugees, and serve as someone Ukrainians can confide in during this challenging time. Amanda Florian, ELLE, 11 May 2022 Sister Catherine Cesnik of the Archbishop Keough High School in Baltimore is someone students often confide in. Sophie Hanson, Harper's BAZAAR, 6 May 2022 The desire to confide, to be seen, is a universal human one; personal narrative is a way of reaping art from that desire. Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2022 In the meantime Zhytelna, who speaks English as a third language, continues to confide and confess and cry with the teammate whose country is waging war on hers. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2022 The Arizona bill has the potential to upend the common reality that a teacher is often a person students choose to confide in. Michael Smolens Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
early Scots, borrowed from Latin confīdere "to put trust in, have confidence in," from con- con- + fīdere "to trust (in), rely (on)" going back to Indo-European *bhei̯dh- "trust, entrust" — more at faith entry 1
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Phrases Containing confide
Kids Definition
confide
verb
con·fide kən-ˈfīd
confided; confiding
1
: to have or show faith
confide in a doctor's skill
2
: to display trust by telling secrets
She needed to confide in a friend.
3
: to tell without anyone else knowing
I confided the secret to a pal.
4
: entrust sense 2
The property was confided to their care.
confided
verb
as in handed
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
Relevance
- handed
- left
- gave
- transferred
- delegated
- entrusted
- recommended
- relinquished
- passed
- commended
- delivered
- trusted
- intrusted
- transmitted
- committed
- granted
- vested
- reposed
- consigned
- loaned
- conferred
- assigned
- lent
- handed over
- submitted
- turned over
- bequeathed
- divided
- distributed
- dispensed
- gave over
- willed
- dispersed
- supplied
- surrendered
- furnished
- handed in
- handed down
- released
- turned in
- yielded
- recommitted
- advanced
- handed on
- retransferred
- dealt (out)
- retransmitted
- redelivered
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- kept
- held
- retained
- withheld
- possessed
- owned
- reserved
- received
- accepted
- took
- detained
- occupied
- held back
- took in
- took over