self-confidence

noun

self-con·​fi·​dence ˌself-ˈkän-fə-dən(t)s How to pronounce self-confidence (audio)
-ˌden(t)s
: confidence in oneself and in one's powers and abilities
self-confident adjective
self-confidently adverb

Examples of self-confidence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Walton already showed signs of turning activist while West was far from a social crusader, a role on the Lakers that belonged to forward Elgin Baylor, who had greater self-confidence and a life of growing up black in inner-city Washington. Scott Howard-Cooper., Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 In your quest for a six-pack, all that exercise is releasing feel-good endorphins, improving brain health, and reducing cortisol levels while also improving body image—a major self-confidence booster. Adam Morganstern, Robb Report, 2 Mar. 2024 Women need to build self-confidence and advocate for more female inclusion in tech. Nihinlola Adeyemi, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Read the full Sagittarius Daily Horoscope Capricorn (December 21 - January 19) Shoring up self-confidence? USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2024 These can include a fear of failure, a belief in scarcity, or a lack of self-confidence. Melissa Houston, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 But in Britain, expressions of self-confidence are often interpreted as arrogance, while self-effacement comes off as endearing and down-to-earth. Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 15 Feb. 2024 To watch This is Me… Now is to witness Lopez’s unapologetic vision and uniquely powerful self-confidence. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2024 Psychological knowledge can aid competitive performance under pressure, help evaluate the benefit of pursuing perfection and assess the pluses and minuses of high self-confidence. Tom Siegfried, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-confidence was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near self-confidence

Cite this Entry

“Self-confidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-confidence. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

self-confidence

noun
self-con·​fi·​dence
ˈself-ˈkän-fəd-ən(t)s,
-fə-ˌden(t)s
: confidence in oneself and in one's powers and abilities
self-confident
-fəd-ənt
-fə-ˌdent
adjective
self-confidently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on self-confidence

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