adjective

confident

KAHN-fih-dunt/ˈkɑːnfɪdənt/

Sure of one's abilities or of a favorable outcome.

The confident woman stands composed at the lectern as she addresses her audience.

Composed woman addresses an audience at a lectern.

Etymology

conLatinwith; perhaps adds emphasis here

+fidLatinto trust

+entLatinpresent participle ending

With con- perhaps strengthening “trust,” confident expresses firm trust or assurance. In the selected sense, that trust is directed toward one's own abilities or toward a successful outcome.

In context

Tim Fairley66:11

We then need to review this, check it for errors, make sure we're confident in it, draft it into a letter of offer, and submit it to our client.

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More examples

We are confident that the repairs will last.
Practice makes him more confident behind the wheel.
Her confident smile reassures the nervous players.

Forms

confident · more confident · most confident

confidence noun — Trust in one's abilities or likely success.

confidently adverb — With assurance in one's abilities or expectations.

Similar words

assured: Emphasizes calm certainty, often shown in manner or behavior.
optimistic: Expects favorable results without necessarily feeling sure of them.
certain: Expresses absence of doubt rather than belief in personal ability.