FESS (UP) 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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Lillian had been in intensive care since last week after being admitted for a fever that progressed into double vision, according to a post on her mother’s Facebook.

— Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
The complaint acknowledges that this situation is unusual, and admits that the First Amendment gives Americans the right to criticize their own government without fear of liability.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of admit

Verb

After his arrest, Reut initially confessed to shooting Berezovska on Zhykovych’s orders, according to Ukrainian prosecutors.

— Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Of course, confessing to any involvement in Haleigh’s disappearance could also land Trinity in a lot more trouble.

— Dateline NBC, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of confess

Verb

Yet after initially acknowledging the economic struggle, the government once again accused the protesters of being foreign agents before unleashing one of the worst crackdowns in the Islamic Republic’s history.

— Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
This phrase is a complicated way of simply acknowledging the fact that Pluto sits within the Kuiper Belt, a vast swarm of bodies that go around the sun in similar orbits beyond Neptune.

— Mike Brown, Scientific American, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of acknowledge

Verb

If Gluck has willingly conceded to the anti-erotic proclivities of his intended audience, Araki has, naturally, set out to defy them.

— Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Lewandowski drew a penalty conceded by Robin Jansson and converted from the spot to cap the scoring in the 68th minute.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 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.

Browse Nearby Words

fessing (up)

fess (up)

fest

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Fess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fess%20%28up%29. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of fess (up)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

devolve

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes