confidential

[ kon-fi-den-shuhl ]

adjective

1. spoken, written, acted on, etc., in strict privacy or secrecy; secret:

   a confidential remark.

   Synonyms: private, restricted

2. indicating confidence or intimacy; imparting private matters:

   a confidential tone of voice.

   Synonyms: familiar, intimate

3. having another's trust or confidence; entrusted with secrets or private affairs:

   a confidential secretary.

   Synonyms: private, trustworthy

4. (of information, a document, etc.)
   1. bearing the classification confidential, usually being above restricted and below secret.
   2. limited to persons authorized to use information, documents, etc., so classified. Compare classification ( def 5 ).

confidential

/ ˌkɒnfɪˈdɛnʃəl /

adjective

1. spoken, written, or given in confidence; secret; private
2. entrusted with another's confidence or secret affairs

   a confidential secretary

3. suggestive of or denoting intimacy

   a confidential approach

Derived Forms

• ˌconfiˈdentially, adverb
• ˌconfiˌdentiˈality, noun

Other Words From

• confi·denti·ali·ty confi·dential·ness noun
• confi·dential·ly adverb
• noncon·fi·dential adjective
• noncon·fi·dential·ly adverb
• noncon·fi·dential·ness noun
• noncon·fi·denti·ali·ty noun
• quasi-confi·dential adjective
• quasi-confi·dential·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of confidential¹

First recorded in 1645–55; from Latin confīdenti(a) confidence + -al ¹

Synonym Study

See familiar.

Example Sentences

They must treat data or information that can be used to trace a person’s citizenship or immigration status as confidential.

From Los Angeles Times

This reduces the risk of data breaches or unauthorized access to confidential information during the training process.

From Science Daily

The lawyer said that if the celebrity did not agree to a “confidential mediation,” then the lawyer would “take a different course,” the suit claims.

From Los Angeles Times

His lawyer told CBS that Hegseth paid a confidential financial settlement as he feared he would be sacked from his job at the news network.

From BBC

We cannot verify the exact number as the register of players in this category is confidential.

From BBC

Related Words

• classified
• hush-hush
• intimate
• private