1 B1 idiomatic neutral
To tell someone personal or secret information because you trust them.
"She finally confided in her best friend about the problems she was having at home."
inseparable
confide in
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
To trust someone enough to share personal or secret information with them.
In plain English
To tell someone a secret because you trust them.
What does "confide in" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic formal
To place trust or confidence in someone.
"He confided in his mentor completely, knowing that his advice would be honest."
inseparable
Usage tip
Always followed by the person being confided in ('she confided in her sister'). Common in emotional and interpersonal contexts. The implication is that the information shared is sensitive and the relationship is one of trust.
Words that pair with "confide in"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
friend therapist diary sister colleague priest
How to conjugate "confide in"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
confide in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
confides in
he/she/it
Past simple
confided in
yesterday
Past participle
confided in
have + pp
-ing form
confiding in
continuous
Hear "confide in" in the wild
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