own up

verb

owned up; owning up; owns up

intransitive verb

: to admit to being responsible for something
denied having broken the window, but later owned up
usually used with to
They owned up to having broken the window.

Examples of own up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The flies can move on their own up to 12 miles a day, but the biggest spread risk comes from trucking cattle across states. Clara Migoya, AZCentral.com, 23 Sep. 2025 Ned owned up to the affair after several people on social media shared photos and videos of him and the employee. Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025 His former owner will not own up to the truth. Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025 Goldman will buy up to $1 billion in T. Rowe Price common stock through open market purchases with the intention to own up to 3.5%, according to the announcement. Yun Li, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for own up

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of own up was in 1844

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Cite this Entry

“Own up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/own%20up. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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