confident

Confident is an adjective that describes a person who has trust in their abilities, qualities, or judgments, or who acts with self-assurance and steadiness in the face of uncertainty. A confident individual typically communicates clearly and speaks with a steady voice, maintains composure under pressure, and makes decisions with conviction. Confidence implies a balance between belief in one's capabilities and awareness of relevant limits, rather than arrogance or denial of risks. The term can apply to people, actions, or plans, as in a confident speaker, a confident strategy, or confidence in the outcome.

Etymology: The word derives from the Latin confidere, meaning "to trust," entering English via Old French confider and later medieval usage. The modern form "confident" appears in English by the 15th century.

Psychology and behavior: In psychology, confidence overlaps with self-efficacy—the belief that one can perform tasks successfully. It is shaped by past experience, preparation, feedback, and skill level. Confidence can improve performance by reducing hesitation, but excessive confidence—overconfidence—can lead to risky decisions or dismissal of warning signs. Nonverbal cues such as posture, eye contact, and a measured tone often reinforce a confident impression and influence how others respond.

Context and culture: Expressions of confidence vary across cultures and contexts; what reads as confident in one setting may appear aggressive in another. Confidence differs from arrogance, which typically asserts superiority without regard to evidence. Related terms include self-assurance and certainty; antonyms include insecurity and doubt.

See also: confidence, self-efficacy, self-esteem.