Positive vs. Confident — What's the Difference?

By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 27, 2024

Positive refers to an optimistic, affirmative outlook, while confident denotes assurance in one's abilities or outcomes.

Positive vs. Confident — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Positive and Confident

Key Differences

Positive individuals generally exhibit a hopeful and optimistic attitude towards life and its challenges, focusing on good outcomes and possibilities. In contrast, confident individuals display self-assuredness and trust in their own skills and capabilities, regardless of the situation's nature.

Being positive often involves a broader emotional and mental state that emphasizes seeing the best in everything, which can influence one’s overall disposition and interactions. On the other hand, confidence is more specifically related to one’s belief in succeeding in specific tasks or contexts.

The positive mindset can be contagious, inspiring others to adopt a similar outlook and improving group morale. Whereas, confidence primarily affects the individual’s own actions and decisions, projecting an aura that can command respect and admiration from others.

Positive people might not always be confident; they can have doubts about their abilities but still maintain a hopeful view about the outcomes. Conversely, confident people might not always be positive, as they can have a realistic or even pessimistic view of the larger picture but remain secure about their own performance.

The nurturing of positivity often requires consistent efforts to focus on good aspects and opportunities, especially in adverse conditions. Confidence, however, can be built through experiences, achievements, and recognition of one’s own competence and strengths.

Comparison Chart

Definition

Optimistic and affirmative outlook

Assurance in abilities or outcomes

Influence

Emotional and mental state

Specific tasks or decisions

Impact on Self

Inspires hope and resilience

Projects self-assurance

Impact on Others

Can inspire similar outlook

Commands respect and admiration

Development

Through consistent focus on positivity

Through experiences and achievements

Compare with Definitions

Positive

Exhibiting optimism and a good-natured attitude.

She remained positive even during the hardest times.

Confident

Sure of oneself; having no uncertainty about one's own abilities or success.

He was confident he could win the race.

Positive

Affirming something is true or valid.

The results of the experiment were positive.

Confident

Not hesitant; bold.

His confident stride into the room caught everyone's attention.

Positive

Certain or confident; without any doubt.

She was positive that she had locked the door.

Confident

Secure in one’s position or condition.

They are confident about the stability of their company.

Positive

Involving an advantage or benefit.

Taking up a new hobby had a positive effect on her mental health.

Confident

Showing certainty about something.

She spoke in a confident tone about the future plans.

Positive

Constructively helpful or intended to be helpful.

He gave me some very positive feedback on my work.

Confident

Demonstrating assurance in oneself.

Her confident answer reassured the interviewers.

Positive

Characterized by or displaying certainty, acceptance, or affirmation

A positive answer.

Positive criticism.

Confident

Feeling or showing certainty, as of success

Was confident that the venture would be profitable.

Positive

Measured or moving forward or in a direction of increase or progress

Positive steps.

Confident

Feeling or showing confidence in oneself; self-assured

A confident driver.

Positive

Desirable, admirable, or beneficial

A woman with many positive qualities.

The positive features of this new software.

Confident

(Obsolete) Confiding; trustful.

Positive

Optimistic or constructive

A positive attitude.

Confident

Very sure of something; positive.

I'm pretty confident that she's not lying, she's acting normally.

He was confident of success.

Positive

Not disparaging or malicious

Ran a positive political campaign.

Confident

Self-assured, self-reliant, sure of oneself.

Positive

Very confident; certain

I'm positive he's right.

Confident

Forward, impudent.

Positive

Explicitly or openly expressed or laid down

A positive demand.

Confident

Obsolete form of confidant

Positive

Admitting of no doubt; irrefutable

Positive proof.

Confident

See Confidant.

Positive

Concerned with practical rather than theoretical matters.

Confident

Having or marked by confidence or assurance;

A confident speaker

A confident reply

His manner is more confident these days

Confident of fulfillment

Positive

Of or relating to being or the possession of qualities rather than non-being or the absence of qualities

The question of the positive existence of evil.

Confident

Persuaded of; very sure;

Were convinced that it would be to their advantage to join

I am positive he is lying

Was confident he would win

Positive

Of or relating to positivism.

Confident

Not liable to error in judgment or action;

Most surefooted of the statesmen who dealt with the depression

Demonstrates a surefooted storytelling talent

Positive

Of or relating to positive law.

Positive

Of or relating to religion based on revelation rather than on nature or reason alone.

Positive

(Informal) Utter; absolute

A positive darling.

Positive

Relating to or designating a quantity greater than zero.

Positive

Relating to or designating the sign (+).

Positive

Relating to or designating a quantity, number, angle, or direction opposite to another designated as negative.

Positive

Relating to or designating an electric charge of a sign opposite to that of an electron.

Positive

Of or relating to a body having fewer electrons than protons.

Positive

(Chemistry) Of or relating to an ion, the cation, that is attracted to a negative electrode.

Positive

(Medicine) Indicating the presence of a particular disease, condition, or organism

A positive test for pregnancy.

Positive

(Biology) Indicating or characterized by response or motion toward the source of a stimulus, such as light

Positive tropism.

Positive

Having the areas of light and dark in their original and normal relationship, as in a photographic print made from a negative.

Positive

(Grammar) Of, relating to, or being the simple uncompared degree of an adjective or adverb, as opposed to either the comparative or superlative.

Positive

Driven by or generating power directly through intermediate machine parts having little or no play

Positive drive.

Positive

An affirmative element or characteristic.

Positive

(Mathematics) A quantity greater than zero.

Positive

(Physics) A positive electric charge.

Positive

A photographic image in which the lights and darks appear as they do in nature.

Positive

The uncompared degree of an adjective or adverb.

Positive

A word in this degree.

Positive

(Music) A division of some pipe organs, similar in sound to the great but smaller and less powerful.

Positive

Not negative or neutral.

Positive

(law) Formally laid down.

Positive

Stated definitively and without qualification.

Positive

Fully assured in opinion.

I’m absolutely positive you've spelt that wrong.

Positive

(mathematics) Of number, greater than zero.

Positive

Characterized by constructiveness or influence for the better.

Positive

Overconfident, dogmatic.

Positive

Actual, real, concrete, not theoretical or speculative.

Positive

(physics) Having more protons than electrons.

A cation is a positive ion as it has more protons than electrons.

Positive

(grammar) Describing the primary sense of an adjective, adverb or noun; not comparative, superlative, augmentative nor diminutive.

‘Better’ is an irregular comparative of the positive form ‘good’.

Positive

(grammar) Describing a verb that is not negated, especially in languages which have distinct positive and negative verb forms, e.g., Finnish.

Positive

Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations.

The idea of beauty is not positive, but depends on the different tastes of individuals.

Positive knowledge

Positive

Characterized by the existence or presence of distinguishing qualities or features, rather than by their absence.

The box was not empty – I felt some positive substance within it.

Positive

Characterized by the presence of features which support a hypothesis.

The results of our experiment are positive.

Positive

(photography) Of a visual image, true to the original in light, shade and colour values.

A positive photograph can be developed from a photographic negative.

Positive

Favorable, desirable by those interested or invested in that which is being judged.

The first-night reviews were largely positive.

Positive

Wholly what is expressed; colloquially downright, entire, outright.

Good lord, you've built up a positive arsenal of weaponry here.

Positive

Optimistic.

He has a positive outlook on life.

Positive

(chemistry) electropositive

Positive

(chemistry) basic; metallic; not acid; opposed to negative, and said of metals, bases, and basic radicals.

Positive

(slang) HIV positive.

Positive

(New Age jargon) Good, desirable, healthful, pleasant, enjoyable; (often precedes 'energy', 'thought', 'feeling' or 'emotion').

Positive

A thing capable of being affirmed; something real or actual.

Positive

A favourable point or characteristic.

Positive

Something having a positive value in physics, such as an electric charge.

Positive

(grammar) A degree of comparison of adjectives and adverbs.

Positive

(grammar) An adjective or adverb in the positive degree.

Positive

(photography) A positive image; one that displays true colors and shades, as opposed to a negative.

Positive

The positive plate of a voltaic or electrolytic cell.

Positive

A positive result of a test.

Positive

Having a real position, existence, or energy; existing in fact; real; actual; - opposed to negative.

Positive

Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations; absolute; - opposed to relative; as, the idea of beauty is not positive, but depends on the different tastes individuals.

Positive

Definitely laid down; explicitly stated; clearly expressed; - opposed to implied; as, a positive declaration or promise.

Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward's son.

Positive

Hence: Not admitting of any doubt, condition, qualification, or discretion; not dependent on circumstances or probabilities; not speculative; compelling assent or obedience; peremptory; indisputable; decisive; as, positive instructions; positive truth; positive proof.

Positive

Prescribed by express enactment or institution; settled by arbitrary appointment; said of laws.

In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so.

Positive

Fully assured; confident; certain; sometimes, overconfident; dogmatic; overbearing; - said of persons.

Some positive, persisting fops we know,That, if once wrong, will needs be always.

Positive

Having the power of direct action or influence; as, a positive voice in legislation.

Positive

Corresponding with the original in respect to the position of lights and shades, instead of having the lights and shades reversed; as, a positive picture.

Positive

Electro-positive.

Positive

Designating, or pertaining to, a motion or device in which the movement derived from a driver, or the grip or hold of a restraining piece, is communicated through an unyielding intermediate piece or pieces; as, a claw clutch is a positive clutch, while a friction clutch is not.

Positive

Designating a method of steering or turning in which the steering wheels move so that they describe concentric arcs in making a turn, to insure freedom from side slip or harmful resistance.

Positive

That which is capable of being affirmed; reality.

Positive

That which settles by absolute appointment.

Positive

The positive degree or form.

Positive

A picture in which the lights and shades correspond in position with those of the original, instead of being reversed, as in a negative.

Positive

The positive plate of a voltaic or electrolytic cell.

Positive

A film showing a photographic image whose tones correspond to those of the original subject

Positive

Characterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance or certainty etc.;

A positive attitude

The reviews were all positive

A positive benefit

A positive demand

Positive

Having a positive electric charge;

Protons are positive

Positive

Involving advantage or good;

A plus (or positive) factor

Positive

Indicating existence or presence of a suspected condition or pathogen;

A positive pregnancy test

Positive

Formally laid down or imposed;

Positive laws

Positive

Impossible to deny or disprove;

Incontrovertible proof of the defendant's innocence

Proof positive

An irrefutable argument

Positive

Of or relating to positivism;

Positivist thinkers

Positivist doctrine

Positive philosophy

Positive

Greater than zero;

Positive numbers

Positive

Marked by excessive confidence;

An arrogant and cocksure materialist

So overconfident and impudent as to speak to the queen

The less he knows the more positive he gets

Positive

Persuaded of; very sure;

Were convinced that it would be to their advantage to join

I am positive he is lying

Was confident he would win

Positive

Granting what has been desired or requested;

A favorable reply

A positive answer

Common Curiosities

What is the essence of confidence?

Confidence is rooted in self-assuredness and trust in one's abilities and prospects.

Is it possible to be confident but not positive?

Yes, it's possible to be confident in one's skills while maintaining a realistic or skeptical outlook about general situations or outcomes.

How does positivity affect relationships?

Positivity can improve relationships by reducing conflicts and enhancing understanding and cooperation among individuals.

What role does confidence play in leadership?

In leadership, confidence is crucial for making decisions, inspiring trust, and guiding others effectively.

Are positive people always happy?

Not necessarily; positive people focus on the good aspects but may experience a range of emotions, including sadness.

What defines a positive person?

A positive person consistently sees and expects favorable outcomes, maintaining an optimistic viewpoint.

How do positive and confident attitudes differ in handling failure?

Positive attitudes might see failure as a learning opportunity, whereas confident attitudes might quickly move to new challenges, assured of eventual success.

Can positivity influence confidence?

Yes, a positive outlook can sometimes boost confidence by fostering a hopeful view on personal capabilities and future outcomes.

How does confidence impact professional success?

Confidence can significantly impact professional success by enabling decisive actions and assertiveness that are often rewarded in business environments.

How does one build confidence?

Building confidence typically involves gaining skills, experiencing successes, and receiving positive feedback.

Can a positive attitude be learned?

Yes, positivity can be cultivated through practices like mindfulness, gratitude, and focusing on positive outcomes.

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Written by

Fiza Rafique

Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.