1
as in to admit
to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly
he fessed up to breaking the antique vase only after his guilt was obvious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to confess
to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid
at first he denied everything, but eventually he realized that he had no choice but to fess up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fess (up)
Verb
-
The guards did not admit the visitors, who were wearing civilian clothes.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025 -
Perez admitted nailing an ace isn't solely based on skill.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2025
Verb
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Investigators said Willis confessed to beating the woman in his car before dragging her into the woods.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
7 June 2025
-
In June 2024, Destiny R. Kley, 22, allegedly confessed to setting an arson fire in her kitchen, displacing 27 residents across three floors of the building.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Caltrans’ parent agency, the California State Transportation Agency, has acknowledged this phenomenon.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
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Following reporting by The Times, the State Bar acknowledged receiving more than 200 complaints against Girardi dating to the 1980s.—
Harriet Ryan,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Both players were sloppy in the first set, conceding 21 break-point chances and making 48 unforced errors between them, with Sabalenka making 32 yet still winning the set.—
Jerome Pugmire,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
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My son watched the TikTok and laughed, conceding the point, then went back to reading.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
6 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fess%20%28up%29. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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