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
-
Braff admits, but explains the conflicted choice.—
Amanda Champagne-Meadows,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026 -
The 44% theory Steve Dittmore admits that his research interest, the relationship of athletics and enrollment at small colleges, falls pretty far outside of the mainstream, even in the already-niche world of sports and higher ed.—
Mark Dent,
thehustle.co,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
-
Alfie, my hero and king, and Sophie are in the marketplace, and Sophie confesses everything.—
Christina Grace Tucker,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Looking ahead, Sapek acknowledges that the role of AI in writing continues to evolve, with significant uncertainty around how workflows will change in the coming years.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
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Shao acknowledges that challenges remain but says that the study’s findings speak for themselves.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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That kind of advance won’t make physical crews or the places trying to lure them very happy, a point Stone concedes.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Mar. 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 30 Apr. 2026.
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