1
as in admitting
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 confessing
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 fessing (up)
Verb
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Soderbergh extracts some fun from the ensuing cat-and-mouse logistics, from Lori’s meticulous duplication of the Christophers to Julian’s efforts to bluff her into admitting her true intentions.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026 -
The suit also accused Michel, Esformes and others of admitting elderly patients from ALFs owned by Michel and Esformes to Larkin for medically unnecessary treatment paid for by Medicare and Medicaid.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, Bundy reportedly failed to recall if Aime was among his victims while confessing to several homicides throughout Utah.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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District Attorney Vern Pierson thinks meeting with Denise – in particular – may have been Muller's objective for confessing all along.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When Trump won, Smith moved to abandon the cases, acknowledging a longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot be indicted or prosecuted while in office.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
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And by Thursday, the California Legislature followed suit, with the aim of acknowledging the broader contributions of agricultural workers.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Fessing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fessing%20%28up%29. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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