confidante

noun

con·​fi·​dante ˈkän-fə-ˌdänt 

 also  -ˌdant,

-dənt

: confidant

especially : one who is a woman

Did you know?

Is it confident or confidant? (Or is it confidante?)

If you find yourself unsure whether you should choose confident or confidant don’t feel bad; confidant comes to English from the French word confident, and when the word first entered our language it was often spelled that way, rather than as confidant. The difference is quite simple: confidant is a noun (meaning "a person in whom you confide things"), and confident is an adjective (defined as “having confidence”). You may well be confident in your confidant, but you would not be confidant in your confident. Although this distinction has not always been observed by writers, confidante is generally used for a female confidant. The word confidant is more frequently used to describe a man, but it may be applied to either gender.

Synonyms

• alter ego
• amigo
• buddy
• chum
• compadre
• comrade
• confidant
• crony
• familiar
• friend
• intimate
• mate [chiefly British]
• musketeer
• pal

Examples of confidante in a Sentence

She was her closest friend and confidante.

only her closest confidantes know what she's going through

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2007, Carter spoke at the funeral of his former political rival turned close friend and confidante, former President Ford. —CBS News, 30 Dec. 2024

Some of her close confidantes even have their own profiles on the platform, which has dominated the adult entertainment industry. —Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024

Some of that opposition has been driven by billionaire Elon Musk, a close confidante of President-elect Trump, publicly criticizing the bill. —Axios, 18 Dec. 2024

Mendes has retained his place as a trusted confidante of Shi despite Wolves’ attempts to limit his influence. —Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French confidente, feminine of confident confidant

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

confidante

noun

con·​fi·​dante ˈkän-fə-ˌdant 

-ˌdänt

: confidant

especially : one who is a woman