confide about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "confide about" is not correct and it is not usually used in written English.
If you want to express the idea of telling someone a secret or something private, you could use "confide in" or "entrust with." For example: I confided in my best friend about the surprise party I was planning.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

She said she had spoken with two people whom Zervos had called to confide about Trump's behavior.

The Guardian

Experts say that since teenagers tend not to ask adults for help or confide about embarrassing physical changes, they are likely to receive their diagnoses much later in the course of their illness than younger children.

The New York Times - Health

As the host of "Inside the Actors Studio" on Bravo, James Lipton is known for ingratiating questions that get his famous guests to confide about their careers and aspirations.

The New York Times

This painter's purpose, it would seem, is to confide about the affair he has been having with Polly, a woman of no note, a sturdy siren and wife of his best friend, Marcus, a watchmaker.

The Guardian - Books

With a work spouse, you know each other's favorite food; gripe about co-workers; confide about personal issues; and support each other during good and bad times.

Forbes

But because of the gag order, they weren't able to seek out a friend to whom they could confide about their discomfort.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

As he cheerfully confided when about to receive yet another honour: "I do not complain; to be overestimated is not the most painful of states".

The Guardian - Books

"Not my choice," Martha confided about her divorce.

The New Yorker

She shamelessly engaged in a love affair with him, and confided about it to the writer.

The New Yorker

"There's some controversy," she confided, "about whether this is public or private".

The New York Times - Arts

"We just want more time to get messy in private," she confided about the scene, which involved Mr. Boykin tossing Ms. McDonald around the stage.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "confide about". The correct phrasing is "confide in" when you want to express sharing a secret with someone. For example, "I confided in my best friend about my worries."

Common error

Don't assume that "about" can be used interchangeably with "in" after the verb "confide". "Confide" requires the preposition "in" to indicate the person being confided in. Saying "confide about" is grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "confide about" functions incorrectly as a verb phrase attempting to describe the act of sharing private information. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase violates standard English grammar.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Wiki

29%

Science

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "confide about" appears in some contexts, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct and widely accepted form is "confide in". As Ludwig AI points out, opting for phrases like "share secrets with" or "open up to" can ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy. Remember, effective communication hinges on using language that is both clear and grammatically sound.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

confide in

Uses "in" instead of "about" as the preposition, which is the correct form.

share secrets with

Replaces "confide" with "share secrets" and uses the preposition "with".

open up to

Replaces "confide" with the phrasal verb "open up" and uses the preposition "to".

divulge information to

Uses a more formal verb, "divulge", and specifies "information", using the preposition "to".

entrust with secrets

Employs "entrust" to emphasize the act of giving someone a secret, using preposition "with".

reveal private matters to

Replaces "confide" with a more descriptive phrase, "reveal private matters", using preposition "to".

unburden oneself to

Uses a reflexive verb to emphasize the emotional release of confiding, using preposition "to".

take into one's confidence

Rephrases the action as bringing someone into a state of trust.

disclose personal details to

Uses a more formal verb, "disclose", and specifies "personal details", using preposition "to".

tell secrets to

Expresses the idea in a simple way, using "tell secrets" and the preposition "to".

FAQs

Is it correct to say "confide about"?

No, the correct phrase is "confide in". The preposition "in" is required when indicating the person you are sharing your secrets with.

What does it mean to "confide in" someone?

To "confide in" someone means to share personal secrets or private thoughts with them, trusting that they will keep the information private.

What are some alternatives to "confide in"?

Alternatives include "share secrets with", "open up to", or "reveal private matters to".

How does "confide in" differ from "tell someone about something"?

"Confide in" implies a deeper level of trust and intimacy than simply telling someone about something. Confiding usually involves sharing sensitive or personal information.