1
as in admits
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 confesses
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 fesses (up)
Verb
-
Like most other women’s colleges in the US, Smith, a small liberal arts college, admits trans women.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026 -
Ice, Ice Baby Spritz cocktails have been dominating warm-weather drinking for years, admits Charly Naranjo, sommelier at Fontainebleau Miami Beach.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
But after making the call, Ferraz confesses there are no recordings and that Creasy will have to find another way to take down Carmo, Soares and Tappen.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
-
In the heart-wrenching Season 2 finale, Morgan and Karadec’s investigation into a poolside death at a Los Angeles hotel resulted in the arrest of Lucia, a guest relations manager who confesses to tipping off and then covering for the conman who murdered a home improvement reality show host.—
Max Gao,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Those ties, as Jäger acknowledges, are often forged in and around schools.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
The play also acknowledges, albeit in a humorous way, that women wield tremendous power for peace, which is borne out today as well.—
Marie-Claire Beaulieu,
The Conversation,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
The mayor concedes some residents have concerns about the impact the gondola may have on the character of their quiet town.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Nationally, the left often concedes first in the name of pragmatism, while more conservative factions hold firm and extract concessions.—
Darius Khalil Gordon,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 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
“Fesses (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fesses%20%28up%29. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
