1
as in admitted
to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid
the thief confessed to dozens of robberies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in acknowledged
to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly
political prisoners, under threat of torture, forced to confess their guilt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of confessed
After being questioned by Charlotte County detectives, Giblin allegedly confessed to stabbing Bradley after an argument.
—
Alyssa Dzikowski, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Theah Loudemia Russell, 19, confessed to suffocating Harvey and attempting to suffocate another child, according to murder and assault charges.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026
Eventually, Friedmann identified himself and confessed.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Cheryl’s father had died years earlier, not knowing that someone had confessed.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 28 Feb. 2026
Officers reviewed surveillance video from the a business in the 1300 block of Northwest Sixth Street where the man had allegedly confessed.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
Elicker also said the former chief had confessed to taking the funds for personal use after being confronted by three of his deputies over financial irregularities.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The letter to Hull in which Pender allegedly confessed to committing the murders was later deemed a fake, with Hull himself admitting that his cellmate wrote it.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Andrew Daniel Centeno, who confessed to possessing child pornography during the investigation, was taken into custody, according to the release.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Feb. 2026
Alyssa Dzikowski, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Theah Loudemia Russell, 19, confessed to suffocating Harvey and attempting to suffocate another child, according to murder and assault charges.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 6 Mar. 2026
Eventually, Friedmann identified himself and confessed.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Cheryl’s father had died years earlier, not knowing that someone had confessed.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 28 Feb. 2026
Officers reviewed surveillance video from the a business in the 1300 block of Northwest Sixth Street where the man had allegedly confessed.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
Elicker also said the former chief had confessed to taking the funds for personal use after being confronted by three of his deputies over financial irregularities.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026
The letter to Hull in which Pender allegedly confessed to committing the murders was later deemed a fake, with Hull himself admitting that his cellmate wrote it.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Andrew Daniel Centeno, who confessed to possessing child pornography during the investigation, was taken into custody, according to the release.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confessed
Verb
-
Miller also admitted stealing the women’s credit cards and using one to pay for gas, according to documents.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
In November 2024, Van der Woude admitted in juvenile court to having digitally penetrated a minor, the complaint notes, referencing reporting from the Orange County Register.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Grall acknowledged that some Floridians who are already registered to vote would have to produce more documents to stay on the rolls.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, acknowledged that diagnosing measles is a major challenge, emphasizing that coordination among public health agencies is critical in overcoming that challenge.—
Andrew Jones,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And Payton conceded that Denver can’t count on duplicating the 12-2 record in one-score games the Broncos achieved last season.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The Penguins have a +32 scoring differential, with 204 total goals scored and 172 conceded.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confessed. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
