confidently

confidently — adverb

1. in a manner that shows you fully trust your own abilities, or that you believe a

1.adverbB1
Definition

in a manner that shows you fully trust your own abilities, or that you believe a person, plan, or future event will succeed.

Example

Min confidently answered every question during the job interview.

adverb before verb for manner

The young pianist walked onto the stage confidently and began to play.

adverb after verb for manner

Common collocations
  • confidently answer
  • confidently speak
  • confidently walk
  • confidently predict
  • confidently invest
  • confidently introduce
  • confidently state
  • confidently expect
Synonyms
  • boldly

    stresses courage and willingness to take risks, not necessarily skill

  • assuredly

    more formal; suggests calm, quiet certainty

  • assertively

    emphasises expressing opinions or needs firmly and clearly

  • positively

    focuses on optimism and expecting good results

Antonyms
  • hesitantly

    acting with uncertainty or reluctance

  • timidly

    acting shyly or fearfully, without self-belief

Grammar Patterns

confidently + verb

verb + confidently

Usage Note

Commonly placed either before or after the verb it modifies. Before the verb (e.g., confidently said) emphasises the person's inner state of certainty; after the verb (e.g., said confidently) emphasises the outward manner of the action.

Common Mistakes

He spoke confident during the presentation.
He spoke confidently during the presentation.
confident is an adjective; the adverb confidently is needed to describe how he spoke.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

These adverbs all describe acting with certainty, but differ in emphasis. Confidently is the broadest term, covering belief in one's own ability (she spoke confidently about her research) or trust in external outcomes. Boldly adds an element of courage or risk-taking — a bold move is one that may be unpopular or dangerous, not just well-prepared. Assuredly is more formal and suggests a calm, unshakeable certainty (the CEO assuredly outlined the five-year plan). Assertively focuses on expressing one's views or needs firmly without aggression, useful in workplace or negotiation contexts. Positively leans toward optimism and expecting favourable results (he positively believed the deal would close). Choose confidently for general self-belief, boldly for risk-taking, assuredly for calm certainty, assertively for firm expression, and positively for optimism.

confidently ↗boldly ↗assuredlyassertivelypositively ↗

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from the adjective confident (from Latin confidens, present participle of confidere 'to trust fully', from com- 'together' + fidere 'to trust') plus the adverbial suffix -ly.