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
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Adler responded by encouraging others to express interest in running the simulation for their organization (there is a form to fill out), but admitted that forecasts and predictions are hard.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
26 June 2025 -
Nobody admits that all this activity serves as cover for avoiding the work that scares us: making real decisions, shipping imperfect products, having difficult conversations.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
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During an interview with the detectives, Owen confessed to the shooting and provided multiple corroborating details, police said Detectives then obtained an arrest warrant and took him into custody.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 June 2025
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After being caught, Rudolph confessed to the crimes that killed two people in a plea bargain that took the death penalty off the table.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
28 June 2025
Verb
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The city of Live Oak acknowledged Pamma’s arrest in a statement and declined further comment.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
27 June 2025
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However, both executives acknowledged current economic challenges in the streaming sector.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 June 2025
Verb
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In their five World Cup matches, the Netherlands conceded only two goals with Spitse on the pitch.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
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To get to a supermajority on partial overrides, the four members conceded on some of Gloria’s vetoes, such as elimination of $250,000 for a homeless outreach team.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 July 2025
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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 11 Jul. 2025.
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