seek confidence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "seek confidence" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the act of looking for or trying to gain self-assurance or belief in oneself. Example: "In times of uncertainty, many people seek confidence to navigate their challenges effectively."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Before the end of the week, the government is expected to outline its programme and seek confidence votes in both houses of parliament, without which it cannot continue.

The Guardian

"Like any Asian, if you lost confidence, you seek confidence somewhere else," says Kenny. "So as typical Chinese we went to consult a geomancer, a Feng Shui teacher.

BBC

We seek confidence and a sense of purpose.

Huffington Post

A few years back I did a stint as the president of Outward Bound, the organization that ushers folks through rough country to challenge, seek confidence, character development and clarity.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

The EPA is starting the country down a carbon-reduction path, an important signal to Americans and foreigners seeking confidence that the United States will cut its carbon use.

The Washington Post

The legal approach has the great advantage of ensuring that national commitments outlast individual governments, making them much more certain for business and for other countries seeking confidence that their own low carbon policies will not be undermined by free riders elsewhere.

The Guardian - Opinion

Italy's President, Napolitano, is unlikely to send Bersani to parliament to seek a confidence vote unless he believes there is a majority.

The Guardian - Business

The FT thinks in the "haggling culture of coalition" the prime minister of the day "might proceed on a bill-by-bill basis or seek a "confidence and supply" agreement.

The Guardian

The government was pushed to seek a confidence vote this month when its onetime backers from the Communist parties, with 59 votes, withdrew support, after the government announced that it would go ahead with the long-stalled nuclear accord.

The New York Times

He also said that "if there is a hung parliament, I imagine the prime minister would seek the confidence vote of the parliament", which is the normal process in such a situation.

The Guardian

Scientists, who base their research on the results of the previous works, seek a confidence on the reliability of what has been proposed [ 40].

BMC Systems Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "seek confidence" to emphasize the active process of trying to find or create self-assurance, especially in challenging or uncertain situations.

Common error

Avoid using "seek confidence" when the context requires a stronger term like "demand respect" or "earn trust"; "seek confidence" implies a search for internal strength rather than external validation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "seek confidence" functions as a verb phrase where "seek" is the main verb and "confidence" is its direct object. As evidenced by Ludwig, it describes an action of attempting to find or acquire self-assurance. The phrase follows standard grammatical rules.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "seek confidence" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that describes the act of trying to find or develop self-assurance. Ludwig indicates that it is most commonly found in news and media contexts, though it can also appear in scientific discussions. While the phrase is relatively rare, it effectively conveys the intention to increase self-belief. Related phrases include "pursue confidence" and "look for confidence", offering similar but nuanced alternatives. It's important to use "seek confidence" when the context appropriately reflects a genuine search for internal strength, rather than external validation or other forms of assertive action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pursue confidence

Replaces "seek" with "pursue", emphasizing a more active and sustained effort.

look for confidence

Substitutes "seek" with "look for", indicating a straightforward search.

try to gain confidence

Replaces "seek" with "try to gain", highlighting the attempt to acquire confidence.

attempt to build confidence

Focuses on the process of constructing or establishing confidence.

work on developing confidence

Emphasizes the effort and progress in enhancing confidence.

cultivate self-assurance

Replaces "confidence" with "self-assurance", indicating a more internal sense of conviction.

foster confidence

Focuses on nurturing or encouraging confidence to grow.

establish credibility

Shifts the focus to building trust and reliability in oneself or others.

restore faith

Emphasizes regaining lost trust or belief in oneself or something else.

search for certainty

Focuses on finding assurance and conviction, rather than self-belief.

FAQs

What does "seek confidence" mean?

To "seek confidence" means to actively try to find or develop a sense of self-assurance, belief in one's abilities, or trust in a particular outcome.

How can I use "seek confidence" in a sentence?

You can use "seek confidence" to describe someone who is actively trying to improve their self-belief, such as "After the setback, she needed to "seek confidence" to continue her project".

What are some alternatives to "seek confidence"?

Alternatives to "seek confidence" include "pursue confidence", "look for confidence", or "try to gain confidence", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to "seek confidence" or "have confidence"?

"Seek confidence" refers to the act of trying to find or develop self-assurance, whereas "have confidence" describes a state of already possessing it. The appropriate phrase depends on whether you're describing a process or a state of being.