Difference between cocky and confident?

What is the difference between cocky and confidence. Saying the words, "I am going to win" can come off as both cocky and confidence to any person.

In my perspective, if you win, you were "confident" and if you lose after saying that, you would be considered "cocky." Are there or can there be more objective differentiating factors other than winning?

According to dictionary.com, confidence is strong belief in one-self. When using dictionary.com for cocky, it is simply arrogant. Using google and looking up arrogant, it is defined as "having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities." So if by winning, would it not be considered over-exaggerating your abilities and therefore be considered confidence as he believed in himself?

Solution 1:

All cocky people are confident, but not all confident people are cocky. Cocky adds to confident an aura of arrogant superiority.

If I say, "I'm quite sure this answer is correct," then I'm being confident.

If I add, "No one is going to be able to write a better answer than this one," then I'm being cocky.

I think your example (which discusses winners and losers) is a bit contrived. Just because a player is confident she can win doesn't make her cocky if she doesn't. Cocky is tied more to the attitude than to the result.

Solution 2:

I don't agree with your reasoning at all. The tone of voice and the actions of the person saying them decide what adjectives are appropriate. Simply by adding that context we can change the meaning, e.g.

In order to give himself confidence before the race he looked in the mirror and - just as his coach had suggested - said three times, "I am going to win".

That version doesn't show cockiness and he is doing it because he lacks confidence. Compare

He strutted around thrusting his face into those of the other competitors and saying with a grin, "I am going to win."

That version, I suggest shows someone being cocky.

Here is a definition of 'cocky' that explains the difference.

cocky

ˈkɒki adjective

conceited or confident in a bold or cheeky way.

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