slightly confident

USAGE SUMMARY

'slightly confident' is correct and can be used in written English.
For example, "She spoke with a slightly confident voice."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

a For this item, 1 = zero confidence, 2 = slightly confident, 3 = confident, 4 = quite confident, and 5 = extremely confident.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Participants were asked their degree of confidence (including "not confident at all", "not confident slightly", "slightly confident", or "absolutely confident") regarding the activities.

BMC Public Health

I have corrected and smoothed it and almost tested it enough to be slightly confident that it will be consistent under variable conditions.

The Guardian - Books

Slightly confident Moderately confident Very confident I do not mean to dismiss the possibility of global catastrophe from asteroids or global warming or a host of other possible calamities — bioengineered viruses spreading out of control, Malthusian nightmares of overpopulation choking off life on the planet, etc.

The New York Times

The scale ranged from 1= not at all confident, 2= Mostly not confident, 3= slightly confident, 4= %5=/50, 5= Fairly confident, 6= mostly confident, 7= absolutely confident.

Smart Learning Environments

Sixty of the 321 participating doctors (18.7%) reported that they were very confident of interpreting spirometry results, 168 (52.3%) were slightly confident and 93 (29%) were not confident of their interpretation skills.

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

O Somewhat confident.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

American builders were slightly more confident in July, and the remodeling industry sets a record.

The New York Times

Other analysts were only slightly less confident of Thailand's overall financial strength.

The New York Times

Adam Driver, who plays a lunky love interest on "Girls," plays an equally lunky, if slightly more confident, Lothario in "Frances Ha".

The New York Times

Mr. Draghi predicted that the euro zone would recover, but he sounded slightly less confident than in the past.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "slightly confident" to express a moderate level of assurance without sounding overly assertive. It's ideal when acknowledging uncertainty or a degree of risk.

Common error

Avoid using "slightly confident" when the situation requires a stronger expression of certainty. Opt for phrases like "very confident" or "absolutely certain" when the context demands it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slightly confident" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating a moderate level of assurance or self-belief. As Ludwig AI says, the phrase is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

42%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "slightly confident" is a grammatically sound and useful way to express a moderate level of assurance. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness for written English. Usage analysis indicates its prevalence in News & Media and Science contexts, suggesting a neutral formality level. When seeking alternatives, consider options like "somewhat assured" or "a bit certain" to maintain a similar degree of certainty. Be mindful of overstating or understating confidence based on the situation's requirements.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat assured

Replaces "confident" with "assured" and maintains the "somewhat" level of certainty.

a bit certain

Uses "certain" instead of "confident", implying a level of conviction.

reasonably sure

Emphasizes the reasonableness of the confidence.

not entirely doubtful

Expresses confidence by negating doubt.

marginally optimistic

Shifts the focus to optimism as a form of confidence about the future.

mildly self-assured

Replaces "confident" with "self-assured" and "slightly" with "mildly".

somewhat self-possessed

Replaces "confident" with "self-possessed" suggesting composure.

relatively secure

Indicates a level of security that inspires confidence.

moderately optimistic

Emphasizes a mid-level optimism as a form of confidence.

fairly positive

Highlights the positive outlook associated with a degree of confidence.

FAQs

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

You can use "slightly confident" to describe a feeling or attitude. For example: "After reviewing the data, I felt "slightly confident" about our projections."

What's the difference between "slightly confident" and "moderately confident"?

"Slightly confident" implies a lower degree of assurance compared to "moderately confident". Use "slightly" when your confidence is tentative and "moderately" when it's more solid.

Which is correct, "slightly confident" or "a little confident"?

Both "slightly confident" and "a little confident" are correct and can be used interchangeably, though "slightly confident" sounds more formal.

What can I say instead of "slightly confident"?

You can use alternatives like "somewhat assured", "a bit certain", or "reasonably sure" depending on the nuance you want to convey.