FESS Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

fess (up)

verb

ˈfes

Definition of fess (up)

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fess (up)

Verb

Saavedra, a former detective and federal task force officer, admitted in his plea agreement that his company began providing security to Iza around August 2021.

— Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Washburn allegedly admitted seeing the fire and picking up the person who set the fire.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of admit

Verb

They mystery deepened when co-host Craig Melvin acknowledged Roker’s absence with little elaboration.

— Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
Hammer presents these economic theories as stone-cold truths without acknowledging the rather obvious ideological agenda underpinning his thinking.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of acknowledge

Verb

Children today are growing up around AI, robots and devices that once belonged to science fiction, and Yoshida concedes that reality has, in some ways, caught up with Doraemon’s gadgets.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
The network apologized; Rather defended the report initially but conceded after several weeks that the materials should not have been used.

— Walter Podrazik, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of concede

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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fessing (up)

fess (up)

fest

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Style

“Fess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fess%20%28up%29. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of fess (up)

verb

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