confidant

What does “confidant” mean?

adjective.a person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it to others.

SAT Usage

This term often appears in contexts involving relationships, trust, or personal dilemmas, highlighting the importance of confidentiality in human connections. It emphasizes a deeper level of intimacy and reliance than similar words like "friend," suggesting a bond built on vulnerability and shared secrets rather than mere companionship.

Common Confusions

Confidant implies a trusted individual with whom one shares intimate secrets, while friend usually suggests a more general companion without the same level of confidentiality or vulnerability.

Example Sentences

• She trusted him completely as her closest confidant.

• As her closest confidant, he was the only one she trusted with her deepest secrets and fears, knowing he would keep them safe.