Synonyms of confess

confess

verb

kən-ˈfes 

1

as in to admit

to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid

the thief confessed to dozens of robberies

Synonyms & Similar Words

• admit
• own (up)
• cop (to)
• fess (up)
• talk
• spill
• tattle
• blab
• babble

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shut up
• quiet (down)
• hush
• clam up

2

as in to concede

to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly

political prisoners, under threat of torture, forced to confess their guilt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• admit
• concede
• acknowledge
• agree
• announce
• grant
• reveal
• disclose
• recognize
• allow
• own (up to)
• tell
• confirm
• say
• accept
• fess (up)
• come clean (about)
• declare
• affirm
• profess
• proclaim
• divulge
• unload
• avow
• publish
• inform
• warn
• talk
• betray
• expose
• communicate
• yield
• impart
• spill
• unburden
• broadcast
• whisper
• disburden
• breathe
• tip (off)
• give away
• leak
• wise (up)
• unveil
• blab
• squeal
• tattle
• break
• rat

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deny
• disclaim
• contradict
• reject
• disallow
• negative
• dispute
• refute
• hide
• conceal
• negate
• disavow
• repudiate
• rebut
• cover (up)
• disown
• gainsay
• veil
• obscure
• kid (oneself)

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb confess contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of confess are acknowledge, admit, avow, and own. While all these words mean "to disclose against one's will or inclination," confess may apply to an admission of a weakness, failure, omission, or guilt.

confessed a weakness for sweets

When could acknowledge be used to replace confess?

In some situations, the words acknowledge and confess are roughly equivalent. However, acknowledge implies the disclosing of something that has been or might be concealed.

acknowledged an earlier peccadillo

Where would admit be a reasonable alternative to confess?

Although the words admit and confess have much in common, admit implies reluctance to disclose, grant, or concede and refers usually to facts rather than their implications.

admitted the project was over budget

When can avow be used instead of confess?

While the synonyms avow and confess are close in meaning, avow implies boldly declaring, often in the face of hostility, what one might be expected to be silent about.

avowed that he was a revolutionary

In what contexts can own take the place of confess?

While in some cases nearly identical to confess, own implies acknowledging something in close relation to oneself.

must own I know little about computers

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of confess

In one study conducted by sociologist Katherine Conger at the University of California, Davis, fully 65% of mothers and 70% of fathers confessed to having a favorite child. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 3 Oct. 2025

For his part, Cuban has confessed to using AI for everything from writing code to evaluating his own health. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025

Don’t be surprised if others start to come out of the woodwork to collaborate or confess their desires towards you. —Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025

The drifter who confessed to killing an inventor and his wife was executed Tuesday night, more than three decades after the double murder in their Miami business. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025