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
-
The man admits that his expectation is for both of them to contribute equally once they are settled.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025 -
Known for roles in Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian, Giancarlo admits that antagonists have always fascinated him because of their complexity.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Weatherald confesses to being a lazy cricketer in his youth, in part because of the cruisy nature of a Darwin upbringing.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
During the actual ceremony, Ozzy confesses that he was overcome with emotion.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Advertisement Many creators were baffled at the inclusion of YouTube in the regulations, especially since Inman Grant acknowledges teens can still access the content without having an account, and there’s plenty to see without logging in.—
Belinda Luscombe,
Time,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The award, presented in association with the United Nations, acknowledges companies advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals through their work in television and streaming.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Lereya says that as AI use proliferates, entirely new jobs will be created, but also concedes that some roles will dramatically change, and even at times, be eliminated.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Sackrison concedes that these are challenging times for auto buyers.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
22 Sep. 2025
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 11 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share