quite confident

USAGE SUMMARY

"quite confident" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that you are fairly sure about something but not completely certain. For example, "I'm quite confident that I can finish this project on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Most trainees (68%) felt quite confident in caring for neck breathers, with confidence increasing as training progressed.

Intensive Care Medicine Experimental

Quite confident?

The Guardian

"We are quite confident," he said.

The New York Times

I was quite confident in that way".

The Guardian - Books

So Ireland's ruling coalition ought to be quite confident.

The Economist

"I'm quite confident that we'll do a good job".

The New York Times

"I'm quite confident in my sprints," Jones said.

The New York Times - Sports

"I'm quite confident we will have something special".

The New York Times

Livingstone, however, is "quite confident" he can turn things around.

The Guardian

I'm quite confident I know why he said that.

The New York Times

"I'm quite confident we can do that again".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "quite confident" when you want to express a moderate to high level of certainty without implying absolute conviction. It's suitable for situations where you have good reason to believe something but acknowledge a small possibility of being wrong.

Common error

Avoid using "quite confident" when the situation demands absolute certainty or when you have no concrete evidence. Overstating your confidence can undermine your credibility if the outcome proves otherwise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "quite confident" functions primarily as an adjectival phrase modifying a subject. It expresses a state of moderate to high assurance or certainty about something. Ludwig examples show this usage across diverse contexts, aligning with its grammatical role.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "quite confident" is a commonly used adjectival phrase to express a moderate to high degree of certainty without implying absolute conviction. According to Ludwig, it is grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and professional settings. While "perfectly confident" or "completely confident" suggest total assurance, "quite confident" acknowledges a slight possibility of error. It's important to avoid overstating your certainty, as doing so can negatively impact your credibility. Using the phrase appropriately involves understanding the context and the desired level of assurance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

perfectly confident

Indicates a higher degree of assurance; suggests complete certainty.

completely confident

Similar to "perfectly confident", emphasizing total assurance.

very confident

A more direct and simpler way to express a high degree of confidence.

totally confident

Emphasizes complete confidence, similar to "completely confident".

entirely confident

Another way to express complete and unwavering confidence.

absolutely confident

Expresses a strong and unwavering feeling of certainty.

pretty confident

Indicates a slightly lower degree of confidence than the original phrase.

fairly confident

Similar to "pretty confident", suggesting a moderate level of assurance.

rather confident

Expresses a similar degree of confidence using an alternative adverb.

reasonably confident

Indicates a justified or well-founded sense of confidence.

FAQs

How can I use "quite confident" in a sentence?

You can use "quite confident" to express a moderate level of certainty. For example, "I'm "quite confident" that we will meet our goals this quarter" or "She seemed "quite confident" during the presentation".

What are some alternatives to "quite confident"?

Alternatives to "quite confident" include "very confident", "fairly confident", "pretty confident", or "completely confident". The best choice depends on the precise shade of meaning you want to convey.

Is it better to say "quite confident" or "very confident"?

"Quite confident" and "very confident" are similar, but "quite" suggests a slightly lesser degree of certainty than "very". Choose the word that best reflects your true level of assurance.

What's the difference between "quite confident" and "too confident"?

"Quite confident" expresses a reasonable degree of assurance, while "too confident" suggests an excessive and potentially unjustified level of certainty, which can be perceived negatively.