Confidant vs. Confident — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 26, 2024
A "confidant" is someone trusted with personal secrets or private matters, whereas "confident" describes a feeling or showing of self-assurance and certainty.
Difference Between Confidant and Confident
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A confidant is a person in whom one confides or shares intimate secrets and personal information, playing a key role in personal relationships. On the other hand, being confident refers to the state of being certain about one's abilities or correctness, impacting one's demeanor and actions in various situations.
Confidants are chosen based on trust and the ability to keep sensitive information secure, often seen in friendships or familial relationships. Conversely, confident individuals display assurance and poise, which can be evident in professional or social contexts.
The role of a confidant is crucial in providing emotional support and advice, helping individuals navigate personal challenges. Whereas, possessing confidence can lead to success in endeavors and interactions by instilling trust and respect from others.
Confidants must maintain confidentiality and show empathy, qualities essential for deep and supportive relationships. On the other hand, confident people often exhibit leadership qualities and a proactive approach to challenges.
In literature and drama, confidants are characters who facilitate the development of the plot by being trustworthy recipients of crucial information. In contrast, characters depicted as confident often drive the narrative forward through decisive actions and a commanding presence.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A person trusted with private matters
Having self-assurance and certainty
Key Quality
Trustworthiness and discretion
Assurance and poise
Role
Emotional support and advice
Leadership and decisiveness
Context
Personal relationships
Professional and social settings
Representation
Supportive characters in narratives
Leaders and proactive characters
Compare with Definitions
Confidant
Integral to maintaining confidentiality in sensitive situations.
As his confidant, she kept all his business plans confidential.
Confident
Feeling or showing certainty about something.
She was confident that her plan would succeed.
Confidant
A person entrusted with secrets or private affairs.
She considered her sister her closest confidant.
Confident
Can characterize protagonists in stories who overcome obstacles.
The protagonist was confident in her abilities to solve the mystery.
Confidant
Can appear as a pivotal character in literature.
The hero’s friend serves as a confidant through his journey.
Confident
Often associated with strong leadership qualities.
A confident leader can inspire their team to greater efforts.
Confidant
Often a key figure in personal support systems.
Everyone needs a confidant to talk through their challenges.
Confident
Seen in behaviors that convey security and assertiveness.
He walked into the room with a confident stride.
Confidant
Seen in roles where discretion is paramount.
The counselor acted as a confidant to many students.
Confident
Exhibiting a high level of self-assurance.
His confident demeanor impressed the interviewers.
Confidant
The confidant ( or ; feminine: confidante, same pronunciation) is a character in a story whom a protagonist confides in and trusts. Confidants may be other principal characters, characters who command trust by virtue of their position such as doctors or other authority figures, or anonymous confidants with no separate role in the narrative.
Confident
Feeling or showing certainty, as of success
Was confident that the venture would be profitable.
Confidant
One to whom secrets or private matters are disclosed.
Confident
Feeling or showing confidence in oneself; self-assured
A confident driver.
Confidant
A character in a drama or fiction, such as a trusted friend or servant, who serves as a device for revealing the inner thoughts or intentions of a main character.
Confident
(Obsolete) Confiding; trustful.
Confidant
A person in whom one can confide or share one's secrets: a friend.
Confident
Very sure of something; positive.
I'm pretty confident that she's not lying, she's acting normally.
He was confident of success.
Confidant
One to whom secrets, especially those relating to affairs of love, are confided or intrusted; a confidential or bosom friend.
You love me for no other endThan to become my confidant and friend;As such I keep no secret from your sight.
Confident
Self-assured, self-reliant, sure of oneself.
Confidant
Someone to whom private matters are confided
Confident
Forward, impudent.
Confident
Obsolete form of confidant
Confident
See Confidant.
Confident
Having or marked by confidence or assurance;
A confident speaker
A confident reply
His manner is more confident these days
Confident of fulfillment
Confident
Persuaded of; very sure;
Were convinced that it would be to their advantage to join
I am positive he is lying
Was confident he would win
Confident
Not liable to error in judgment or action;
Most surefooted of the statesmen who dealt with the depression
Demonstrates a surefooted storytelling talent
Common Curiosities
Why is confidence important?
Confidence is important because it influences how individuals approach challenges and interact with others, often leading to better outcomes.
What qualities make a good confidant?
Good confidants possess empathy, discretion, and unwavering supportiveness.
How do you choose a confidant?
A confidant is typically chosen based on trustworthiness, discretion, and the ability to provide emotional support.
How can someone build confidence?
Confidence can be built through experiences, accomplishments, positive thinking, and learning from failures.
What does it mean to be confident?
Being confident means feeling or showing certainty and self-assurance.
Can a confidant also be confident?
Yes, a confidant can also be confident, though the terms refer to different attributes; one is a role based on trust, the other a quality of self-assurance.
What are the signs of a confident person?
Confident people display assurance, decisiveness, and often have a positive outlook.
What is a confidant?
A confidant is someone who is trusted with personal secrets or private information.
How does one act as a confidant?
Acting as a confidant involves listening, providing emotional support, and maintaining the confidentiality of shared information.
What is the difference in usage between confidant and confident?
"Confidant" is a noun referring to a person, while "confident" is an adjective describing a state of being.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
