How to pronounce confidence
Say it like KON-fuh-duns. Confidence has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce confidence. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KON
- fuh
- duns
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Confidence pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- fuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- dunsKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of confidence
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KON-fih-duns.
What does confidence mean?
- freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities“his assurance in his superiority did not make him popular”“after that failure he lost his confidence”
- a feeling of trust (in someone or something)“I have confidence in our team”“confidence is always borrowed, never owned”
- a state of confident hopefulness that events will be favorable“public confidence in the economy”
Where does confidence come from?
By surface analysis, confide + ence.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying confidence
How do you pronounce confidence?
Say KON-fuh-duns. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɑnfədəns/. In British English it is /ˈkɒnfɪdəns/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in confidence?
Confidence has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KON). Broken into parts: KON · fuh · duns.
Is confidence pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈkɒnfɪdəns/ (KON-fih-duns).