4 syllables: con, fi, den, tial. Stress on den.
kahn-fuh-DEN-shuhl
/ˌkɑnfəˈdɛnʃəl/
confidential is pronounced kahn-fuh-DEN-shuhl (/ˌkɑnfəˈdɛnʃəl/). It has four syllables (con-fi-den-tial), with the stress on "den". Confidential means intended to be kept secret or private from unauthorized people. It describes information, documents, or matters that should not be disclosed. In usage, it often modifies or describes privileged or restricted content, adherence to privacy standards, or sensitive communication in professional contexts.
Confidential means intended to be kept secret or private from unauthorized people. It describes information, documents, or matters that should not be disclosed. In usage, it often modifies or describes privileged or restricted content, adherence to privacy standards, or sensitive communication in professional contexts.
- You: You might overlooked the second syllable’s stress, so you say con-FI-den-tial with weak /fi/; fix by giving the middle syllable clear emphasis and a crisp /fi/ followed by /dən/. - You: Slurring /den/ and /ʃəl/ together into /dəʃəl/ makes it hard to hear the final /l/; correct by keeping /dən/ distinct then a short /ʃəl/. - You: Mispronounce -fi- as /fiː/ or /fə/, so practice the short /ɪ/ vowel in /fɪ/ to avoid overlong vowel; maintain lax /ɪ/. - Tip: Record yourself saying the word in isolation, then in a sentence; compare with a native speaker and adjust the stress, syllable length, and final /ʃəl/ timing. - Practice bullet: Focus on the three core syllables con- / fi- / den - tial; maintain a steady pace and ensure the /n/ is audible before /ʃ/.
"The meeting minutes are confidential and will only be shared with executives."
"Employees must sign a confidential disclosure agreement before starting the project."
"The contractor provided confidential estimates that were not to be shared outside the company."
Pronounce it as /ˌkɒn.fɪˈden.ʃəl/ in UK English or /ˌkɑːn.fɪˈden.ʃəl/ in US English, with primary stress on the third syllable: con-fi-DEN-tial. The first syllable is unstressed, the second carries secondary emphasis, and the final syllable is a light /-ʃəl/. Keep the /d/ clear before /ən/ and avoid rushing the -tion- into a single syllable. Audio references: you can check Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries for US/UK pronunciations; Forvo and YouGlish provide native examples.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (confiden-TIAL vs con-FI-den-tial), slurring the -den- into a quick /dən/ and saying /ˈkɒnfɪdənʃəl/ with an incorrect /t/ or /d/ merger. Another frequent slip is reducing /den/ to /dən/ too aggressively, making it sound like ‘confidential.’ The correct articulation keeps /ˌkɒn.fɪˈden.ʃəl/, with a clear /d/ before the /ən/ and a distinct /ʃ/ before the final /əl/. Practice with slow, deliberate syllable separation, then blend.
In US English, the second syllable FV is reduced and the final /ʃəl/ tends to be lighter; the rhyme often emphasizes /ˈden.ʃəl/ with clear /r/ coloring absent. UK English uses a slightly more rounded /ɒ/ in the first syllable and often less vocalic reduction in the middle, with non-rhotic /*confiden-*/ endings. Australian tends toward a more centralized vowel in /ɪ/ and may merge subtly the first vowel to /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ depending on speaker region, still preserving /ˈden.ʃəl/. All variants retain the /d/ before /ən/ and /ʃəl/ at the end.
The difficulty comes from the tripartite structure: unstressed initial syllable con-, the stressed -fi- with /ɪ/ followed by a cluster /d e n/ and the final schwa-like /əl/. The /fɪˈden/ sequence, with the /d/ onset of the third syllable, can blur in rapid speech, and the final /ʃəl/ can be reduced. Additionally, speakers often misplace stress, saying con-FI-LEN-tional or confiden-shul. Focus on maintaining /fi/ and /den/ clearly and finishing with a crisp /ʃəl/.
No. All letters are pronounced in standard pronunciation. The sequence -den- is pronounced /dɛn/ or /dən/ depending on speaker speed, and the ending -tial is realized as /ʃəl/ in most dialects rather than a separate /tiəl/. The letter combination -ti- does not create a separate vowel here; instead, you hear the /ʃ/ sound before the final /əl/. The stress remains on the second syllable.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is not present, but final /l/ remains clear; /ɪ/ in the second syllable is shorter, less centralized; keep /ˌkɑːn.fɪˈden.ʃəl/ with a crisp /d/ and lighter /ən/. - UK: non-rhotic, so /r/ is not pronounced; first vowel /ɒ/ in /kɒn/ is more open; /den/ tends to be a slightly longer syllable; stress remains on the third syllable. - AU: resembles US with slight vowel shifting; /ɒ/ in /kɒn/ can be pronounced more broadly; /t/ in some speakers can be flapped or held; ensure /ʃəl/ at the end. - Across accents, keep the final /l/ dark or light depending on the speaker; US often has a clearer /l/ at the end; UK and AU can have more muted /l/ depending on the environment. - Vowel specifics: /ɪ/ in fi is short; avoid /iː/ length; final /ə/ is reduced to /əl/; extra care on /d/ alveolar stop before /ən/.
Confidential comes from Old French confideniel, derived from Late Latin confidentialis, meaning “pertaining to trust.” The root confid- comes from Latin confidere, “to trust,” which itself is composed of con- “with, together” and fidere “to trust.” The suffix -ial forms adjectives, while -nel/-iel developed in French into -nel in English, indicating relation to the noun confidant (trusted person) and formal documents or communications. The term began appearing in English legal and administrative contexts by the 15th–16th centuries, evolving to mean information kept in trust or secrecy within professional settings. Over time, “confidential” broadened from strictly interpersonal trust to structured privacy obligations in law, business, and data protection, while preserving the core sense of restricted access and safeguarded information. In modern usage, it commonly collocates with “disclosure,” “information,” “agreement,” and “security,” reflecting its role in privacy regimes and organizational compliance. First known written uses appeared in medieval and early modern legal texts, with growth alongside bureaucratic administration and the development of formal confidentiality expectations.
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Words that rhyme with "confidential"
-ial sounds
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