FESS Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

fess (up)

verb

ˈfes

Definition of fess (up)

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

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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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fess (up)

Verb

Lewis admitted that the experience has impacted not only her independence but her confidence as well.

— Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Pregnant women are admitted for anemia, vaginal infections, or low weight.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of admit

Verb

Robinson allegedly confessed to multiple people, including his roommate and lover, Lance Twiggs, according to court documents.

— Michael Ruiz , Jesse Watson, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
This included expert witnesses who said the child’s death was an accidental drowning brought on by a seizure and a jailhouse informant who recanted his trial testimony that Duncan had confessed to the crime.

— Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of confess

Verb

Palal acknowledged that Davis’ accounts of the killing evolved over the years but argued those differences reflected Davis’ changing motivations and efforts to protect himself.

— Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
McCaffrey said Iran's Kheibar strikes on Israel in 2024 were largely ineffective, but newer versions of it have caused extensive damage in the current war that the Pentagon has not acknowledged.

— Josh Meyer, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of acknowledge

Verb

Lawyers for the government had conceded that designating Anthropic as a supply chain risk didn't prevent companies from using the AI technology for other purposes.

— Joe Walsh, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Dickson himself concedes there is still much work to be done to fully rehabilitate the Gap, as well as its sister brands.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of concede

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.

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fessing (up)

fess (up)

fest

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Style

“Fess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fess%20%28up%29. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of fess (up)

verb

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