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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Gacy admitted dumping other victims in the Des Plaines River after running out of space.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025 -
There, Taylor admitted her character isn't likable.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Back in 2018, the politician confessed to hacking the official website of Labour peer Harriet Harman a decade earlier and changing the content to be pro-Conservative.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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Gacy eventually confessed to killing dozens of young men and boys.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The president acknowledging the gridlock may have hurt Republicans.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
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Despite these measures, investigators acknowledge that Brazil’s penitentiaries remain the backbone of command and communication for its largest criminal organizations — a paradox that the state struggles to contain.—
Alessandra Freitas,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But under questioning from Cruz, Vladeck conceded that approving a nondisclosure order without any factual proffer would be inconsistent with a judge’s oath, if that hypothetical were true.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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To Spoelstra, what such an alignment concedes with spacing can be compensated with offensive rebounds, with the Heat prioritizing possessions.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Jan. 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 10 Jan. 2026.
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