1
as in admitting
to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid
the thief confessed to dozens of robberies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in acknowledging
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
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Recent Examples of confessing
In a series of studies at Ohio University, participants viewed videos of people confessing to crimes.
—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 26 Jan. 2026
In the novel, the story instead concludes aboard the Princess Andromeda cruise ship, where Luke is tricked into confessing to poisoning Thalia’s tree, clearing Chiron’s name.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
In the 2015 timeline, Bree is about to marry Evan, though their relationship will no doubt be complicated by Stephen having sent her a voice memo of Evan confessing to his one-night stand with Lucy.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
More than 18,000 people have been detained and at least 97 individuals have been coerced into confessing for their crimes on state television, per the organization.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2026
In June 2001, Andrea drowned all five of the Yates children before calling 911 and later confessing.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The couple starts confessing secrets.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Dec. 2025
The book chronicles Harpootlian’s firsthand experience prosecuting Gaskins, who was executed in 1991 after confessing to at least 13 murders.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
Rebollido kept it up until confessing to law enforcement in early 2024.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 30 Nov. 2025
Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 26 Jan. 2026
In the novel, the story instead concludes aboard the Princess Andromeda cruise ship, where Luke is tricked into confessing to poisoning Thalia’s tree, clearing Chiron’s name.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
In the 2015 timeline, Bree is about to marry Evan, though their relationship will no doubt be complicated by Stephen having sent her a voice memo of Evan confessing to his one-night stand with Lucy.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
More than 18,000 people have been detained and at least 97 individuals have been coerced into confessing for their crimes on state television, per the organization.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2026
In June 2001, Andrea drowned all five of the Yates children before calling 911 and later confessing.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The couple starts confessing secrets.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Dec. 2025
The book chronicles Harpootlian’s firsthand experience prosecuting Gaskins, who was executed in 1991 after confessing to at least 13 murders.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
Rebollido kept it up until confessing to law enforcement in early 2024.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 30 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confessing
Verb
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The art of being human includes admitting mistakes, a feature developers are increasingly weaving into AI systems.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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The motion alleges that the court made a mistake in admitting a statement made by Herrera to law enforcement officers during the investigation and allowing certain evidence to be permitted, according to court documents.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Zar described the reopening as both joyful and reflective, acknowledging the emotional weight carried by families who lived through evacuation, loss, and uncertainty.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
24 Jan. 2026
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The system itself collaborates in his impunity because acknowledging the truth would implicate everyone.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confessing. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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