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
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The company admits this is a demand issue.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
9 Mar. 2026 -
The law requires that any undocumented immigrant who is charged with or admits having committed burglary, shoplifting, assault of a law enforcement officer or any serious felonies be detained.—
Anna Heqimi,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Alfie, my hero and king, and Sophie are in the marketplace, and Sophie confesses everything.—
Christina Grace Tucker,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
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But strangely, the 28-year-old confesses the transition was relatively smooth.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Then, drive 20 minutes down the road to the Cape Coast Castle Museum, which acknowledges the grim atrocities and consequences of slavery.—
Melanie van Zyl,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Mar. 2026
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That’s right, this bill will be a bonanza for bottom-feeding trial attorneys ready to dive onto any action that even acknowledges a community’s cultural heritage, celebrates LGBTQ Floridians or celebrates the erasure of racial boundaries.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sam, a food stylist, concedes that being in a wealthy suburban enclave may have led her to be a little more brash than usual.—
Nora DeLigter,
Curbed,
6 Mar. 2026
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Going into Wednesday’s games, the Lakers rank 27th in opposing field goal percentage and 24th in defensive rating, an estimate of the amount of points a team concedes across a 100-possession span.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Fesses (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fesses%20%28up%29. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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