confidential

adjective

con·​fi·​den·​tial ˌkän-fə-ˈden(t)-shəl How to pronounce confidential (audio)
1
a
: intended for or restricted to the use of a particular person, group, or class : private, secret
confidential information
b
: containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could be prejudicial to the national interest compare secret, top secret
2
: marked by intimacy or willingness to confide
a confidential tone
3
: entrusted with confidences (see confidence sense 4)
a confidential clerk
confidentially adverb

Examples of confidential in a Sentence

These documents are completely confidential. “I have something to tell you,” John said in a confidential tone. Her voice was quiet and confidential. She worked as a confidential secretary to the mayor for many years.
Recent Examples on the Web The firm’s practice in Australia — which is also slashing jobs — came under fire for leaking confidential government tax plans to clients. Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 22 Mar. 2024 The cost to taxpayers would between $4.4 billion and $6.4 billion according to a confidential financial analysis obtained by The Star. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 More than 17,000 people underwent physical exams and completed confidential surveys. Sydney Durrah, STAT, 21 Mar. 2024 The people familiar asked not to be named discussing a confidential matter. Anna Edgerton, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 According to one of the lawyers for Dominion, one of the law enforcement officials that received the documents -- some of which were classified -- posted some of the confidential Dominion emails on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday. Laura Romero, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2024 On March 22, the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong assured believers that the new legislation will not change the confidential nature of confession. Kanis Leung, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2024 Current laws protecting such information mostly concern defense and intelligence matters, and don’t prohibit government workers from revealing confidential documents to endanger national security — something the new law would change. TIME, 19 Mar. 2024 Civil society groups have called on the bank to do more to help the victims and have expressed alarm over an agreement between the I.F.C. and Bridge to keep some of the findings of its investigation confidential. Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'confidential.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin confīdentia, taken as base of confidence entry 1 + -al entry 1 (perhaps after French confidentiel)

First Known Use

1740, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of confidential was in 1740

Dictionary Entries Near confidential

Cite this Entry

“Confidential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confidential. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

confidential

adjective
con·​fi·​den·​tial ˌkän-fə-ˈden-chəl How to pronounce confidential (audio)
1
: secret entry 1 sense 1a, private
confidential information
2
: indicating or suggesting closeness : intimate
a confidential tone of voice
3
: trusted with secret matters
a confidential secretary
confidentially adverb

Legal Definition

confidential

adjective
con·​fi·​den·​tial ˌkän-fi-ˈden-chəl How to pronounce confidential (audio)
1
: known or conveyed only to a limited number of people
a confidential disclosure
2
: marked by or indicative of intimacy, mutual trust, or willingness to confide especially between parties one of whom is in a position of superiority
the confidential relationship of doctor and patient
3
: containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could be prejudicial to the national interest
confidentiality noun
confidentially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on confidential

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