confide

/kənˈfaɪd/

//kənˈfaɪd// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"confide" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“confide” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #32,742 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#32,742
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
15
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To trust, have faith (in).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

confide vs Connie
57% similar
confide vs config
71% similar
confide vs confirm
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for confide
PropertyValue
Headwordconfide
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kənˈfaɪd/
Letters7
Frequency rank#32,742
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs15
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “confide” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). confide lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for confide is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈfaɪd/. Corpus data places it at rank #32,742 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for confide, with forms such as "cconfide", "cnofide", and "cofnide". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 15 confusable-pair relationships, "Connie", "config", "confirm", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle Scots confide, confyde (“to put trust in”), from Latin confīdere (“to put trust in, have confidence in”), from con- (“together”) + fidēre (“to trust”). First attested in English use in the early 17th century. Doublet of faith and fidelity. The correct English form is confide, spelled C-O-N-F-I-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To trust, have faith (in).
  2. 2
    To entrust (something) to the responsibility of someone.
  3. 3
    To take (someone) into one's confidence, to speak in secret with.
  4. 4
    To say (something) in confidence.

Etymology

From Middle Scots confide, confyde (“to put trust in”), from Latin confīdere (“to put trust in, have confidence in”), from con- (“together”) + fidēre (“to trust”). First attested in English use in the early 17th century. Doublet of faith and fidelity.

This word in other languages

confiar(Español)faire confiance(Français)vertrauen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconfide,cnofide,cofnide,confdie,conffide,confied,conifde,connfide,ocnfide

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of confide - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

cconfide1cnofide2cofnide2confdie2conffide1confied2conifde2connfide1
Edit distance from "confide"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "confide"?
"confide" is spelled C-O-N-F-I-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈfaɪd/.
What does "confide" mean?
As a verb, "confide" means: To trust, have faith (in).
What words are commonly confused with "confide"?
"confide" is commonly confused with "Connie", "config", "confirm". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "confide"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "confide" is /kənˈfaɪd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "confide"?
From Middle Scots confide, confyde (“to put trust in”), from Latin confīdere (“to put trust in, have confidence in”), from con- (“together”) + fidēre (“to trust”). First attested in English use in the early 17th century. Doublet of faith and fidel... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “confide”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-F-I-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kənˈfaɪd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Connie” - see the side-by-side comparison. confide vs Connie
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list