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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Arsenal’s flanks were regularly targeted despite Jeglertz admitting the initial game plan was to sear through Arsenal’s middle.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025 -
Though Henry Gein's death in the series is portrayed as murder by his brother, in real life, investigators ruled out foul play at the time, and Ed Gein never admitted having a role in the death.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Investigators ultimately found the remains of at least 10 women in Ed’s home, and were also able to link him to the disappearance of local tavern owner Mary Hogan, whom Ed confessed to killing, according to History.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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The findings also effectively means the exoneration of four teenage boys initially implicated in the killings in 1999, two of whom confessed.—
Jean Casarez,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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One person close to White House staff’s efforts to keep the president informed acknowledged that his information diet has narrowed since the first term.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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The idea was first introduced as part of a broader review of the city's five-year budget projections in 2024, when Waukesha officials acknowledged emerging spending gaps.—
Jim Riccioli,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Privately, political operatives from both sides concede that government shutdowns are bad for both parties.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
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However, de Apziazu conceded streamers’ ambition and budgets are still leading to market-leading productions, even if fewer of them are made.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
1 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 2025.
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