confident
B1 (High Frequency)Formal, informal, academic, business. Common across all registers.
Definition
Meaning
Feeling sure about one's own abilities or qualities; having self-assurance.
Feeling certain about the truth or success of something; demonstrating a sense of certainty in behaviour or appearance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an adjective. Can describe a person's character, a temporary mood, or a prediction about an outcome. Implies a positive, assured state based on evidence or self-belief, distinct from arrogance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is nearly identical. Minor differences in typical collocations (e.g., 'confident about' slightly more common in UK, 'confident in' very common in both).
Connotations
Equally positive in both varieties. No significant difference in connotation.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both dialects. Slightly higher frequency in American English corpora in business/self-help contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
confident about + noun/gerundconfident in + noun (ability/person)confident of + noun/gerundconfident that + clauseVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Confident to a fault (overconfident).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe a company's outlook, a leader's demeanour, or market predictions (e.g., 'We are confident of meeting our quarterly targets').
Academic
Describes a researcher's belief in their hypothesis or a student's assured performance.
Everyday
Commonly used to describe feelings about one's appearance, performance in a task, or social interactions.
Technical
In statistics/psychology, refers to 'confidence intervals' or 'confidence levels', a precise measure of certainty.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (As 'confide') She confided her worries to a close friend.
- (Rare as 'confident' verb) Not standard.
American English
- (As 'confide') He confided in his colleague about the issue.
- (Rare as 'confident' verb) Not standard.
adverb
British English
- (Confidently) He walked confidently into the examination room.
- (Confidently) She spoke confidently about the new policy.
American English
- (Confidently) The player shot the ball confidently from the three-point line.
- (Confidently) They are moving confidently towards the product launch.
adjective
British English
- She gave a confident presentation to the board.
- I'm not confident about travelling on the motorway at night.
American English
- He felt confident going into the job interview.
- The team is confident they can win the championship.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Tom is confident he can ride his bike.
- She feels confident in her new dress.
- The manager seemed very confident during the meeting.
- Are you confident about passing your driving test?
- Despite the challenge, the engineer remained quietly confident of finding a solution.
- His confident demeanour put the entire team at ease.
- The CEO's confident projection of future growth reassured anxious investors.
- Critics praised the author's confident handling of complex narrative techniques.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
CON + FID (like 'fidelity' or trust) + ENT. Think: 'With trust (in yourself), you are CONFIDENT.'
Conceptual Metaphor
CONFIDENCE IS A SOLID FOUNDATION / AN UPRIGHT POSTURE. (e.g., 'She stood her ground confidently,' 'His confidence was unshakeable').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating directly as 'конфидент' (confidant, a person you trust with secrets).
- Do not confuse with 'уверенный' which can also mean 'sure/certain' about facts, not just self-belief. 'Confident' is more about internal state.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'confident for' instead of 'confident of/about'. Incorrect: *'I am confident for the future.' Correct: '...about the future.'
- Confusing 'confidant' (noun) with 'confident' (adjective).
Practice
Quiz
Which preposition is LEAST common after 'confident'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. It can describe a temporary emotional state ('I feel confident today') or a more permanent personality characteristic ('She is a very confident person').
'Confident' is an adjective meaning self-assured. 'Confidant' (pronounced /ˈkɒnfɪdænt/ or /ˈkɑːnfɪdænt/) is a noun meaning a person you trust with your secrets.
Yes, though less common. It can describe predictions, statements, or mannerisms (e.g., 'a confident prediction', 'a confident start to the game').
No. 'Confident' is positive, based on realistic assessment. 'Overconfident' is negative, implying excessive, unfounded confidence that may lead to mistakes.
Collections
Part of a collection
Emotions and Feelings
A2 · 33 words · Words to describe how you feel.
Personality Traits
B1 · 36 words · Describing character and personal qualities.