English Reference
noun

confidentiality

n.
US /ˌkɑnfəˌdɛnʃiˈæɫəti/ UK /kˌɒnfɪdˈɛnʃɪˈælɪti/ con·fi·den·tial·i·ty

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    the rule or state of keeping information private so that only specific people can see it.

    the quality or state of being confidential; the ethical or legal requirement to protect sensitive data from disclosure.

    Simple

    The doctor promised to maintain full confidentiality regarding the patient's medical history.

    In context

    The legal team signed a non-disclosure agreement to ensure the confidentiality of the trade secrets during the merger negotiations.

    Usage

    Often used with the verbs 'maintain', 'protect', or 'breach'.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced FormalLiterary

    a piece of information told to someone in secret.

    a secret or private matter entrusted to another person. This countable use is less common than the abstract sense.

    Simple

    They shared many confidentialities during their long years of friendship.

    In context

    The memoirs were criticized for revealing private confidentialities that the former minister had promised to take to the grave.

If you don’t need a high level of security or confidentiality you can email [email protected] and [email protected] .

The Guardian· 15 Aug 2026

The officials responding to our survey were granted confidentiality.

The Conversation· 12 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated