own up
verb
owned up; owning up; owns up
: to admit to being responsible for something
denied having broken the window, but later owned up
—usually used with toThey owned up to having broken the window.
Examples of own up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Her music owned up to being horny, garish, and superficial, but could scan as thin or cheap when held up to other kinds of ethical or political scrutiny.
—
Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026
Movie night is a chance for the Islanders to gather together to witness some of the major moments and own up and apologize.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
Whether financial or professional, something is nudging at you, reminding you to own up to your sense of self-worth.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
After Tuesday’s game, Falter owned up to his struggles.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for own up
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Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026
Movie night is a chance for the Islanders to gather together to witness some of the major moments and own up and apologize.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
Whether financial or professional, something is nudging at you, reminding you to own up to your sense of self-worth.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
After Tuesday’s game, Falter owned up to his struggles.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for own up
Cite this Entry
“Own up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/own%20up. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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