confidencenoun
uk/ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/us/ˈkɑːn.fə.dəns/confidence noun (CERTAINTY)
B2 [ U ] the quality of being certain of your abilities or of having trust in people, plans, or the future:
[ + to infinitive ] He has the confidence to walk into a room of strangers and immediately start a conversation.
She's completely lacking in confidence.
I have every/complete confidence in her. She'll be perfect for the job.
[ + that ] I don't share your confidence that the market will improve next year.
More examples
- She's certainly gained (in) confidence over the last couple of years.
- After six defeats in a row, the team's confidence has been badly shaken.
- The government is trying to restore public confidence in its management of the economy.
- Passing my driving test was such a boost to my confidence.
- I don't have much confidence in him after his behaviour in recent months.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Confidence & self-assurance
- amour propre
- aplomb
- assertive
- assertiveness training
- assured
- brass
- breezy
- dogmatism
- dogmatist
- ego
- forwardness
- hold your head (up) high idiom
- inadequacy
- positively
- safe
- sassy
- self-assertive
- self-assured
- self-belief
- self-confident
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confidence noun (SECRET)
[ C ] a secret that you tell someone:
They talked endlessly, exchanging confidences.
in confidence
C2 If you tell something to someone in confidence, you do not want them to tell anyone else.
take sb into your confidence
to share your secrets with someone, trusting them not to tell other people:
I should never have taken him into my confidence.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Secrecy and privacy
- anonymity
- anonymize
- anonymous
- backroom
- backstage
- counsel
- dissimulation
- entre nous
- executive privilege
- furtive
- gatepost
- lid
- lip
- privately
- privileged
- sanctum
- secrecy
- secret
- skeleton
- sweep
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