1
as in to admit
to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly
he fessed up to breaking the antique vase only after his guilt was obvious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to confess
to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid
at first he denied everything, but eventually he realized that he had no choice but to fess up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fess (up)
Verb
-
The result is a sandwich that illuminates, a sandwich that delights, a sandwich that redefines the Italian combo as a structure, a set of relationships, a formula that admits many solutions.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026 -
After fueling a fourth-quarter comeback win for the Nuggets (43-28) on Friday night, the 33-year-old guard admitted the accolade has been on his mind as a source of motivation.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The suspect previously confessed to the crime and has never claimed to be innocent.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Windley and his family did their own investigations after his conviction to pin down the identity of the two robbers and pressure them to do the right thing and confess, hiring a private investigator to help them.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
McLendon-Covey’s Bridesmaids crew did not acknowledge her absence onstage.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The risks Herbal parasite cleanse products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, a fact that online vendors usually acknowledge, noting that their products aren't intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.—
Sarah Boden,
NPR,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Let’s concede for a moment, just by dint of statistics, that this guy has to be white and live in a suburb of a secondary or tertiary metropolis.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The Maple Leafs have a -22 scoring differential, with 215 total goals scored and 237 conceded.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Fess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fess%20%28up%29. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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