1
as in admitted
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 confessed
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 fessed (up)
Verb
-
Miller also admitted stealing the women’s credit cards and using one to pay for gas, according to documents.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026 -
In November 2024, Van der Woude admitted in juvenile court to having digitally penetrated a minor, the complaint notes, referencing reporting from the Orange County Register.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After being questioned by Charlotte County detectives, Giblin allegedly confessed to stabbing Bradley after an argument.—
Alyssa Dzikowski,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Theah Loudemia Russell, 19, confessed to suffocating Harvey and attempting to suffocate another child, according to murder and assault charges.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Grall acknowledged that some Floridians who are already registered to vote would have to produce more documents to stay on the rolls.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, acknowledged that diagnosing measles is a major challenge, emphasizing that coordination among public health agencies is critical in overcoming that challenge.—
Andrew Jones,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And Payton conceded that Denver can’t count on duplicating the 12-2 record in one-score games the Broncos achieved last season.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The Penguins have a +32 scoring differential, with 204 total goals scored and 172 conceded.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Fessed (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fessed%20%28up%29. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
