fessing (up)

verb

present participle of fess (up)
1
as in admitting
to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly he fessed up to breaking the antique vase only after his guilt was obvious

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in confessing
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 fessing (up)
  1. admitting
  2. confessing
  3. acknowledging
Verb
  • In mid-2023, JPMorgan agreed to a $290 million settlement with victims of Epstein without admitting wrongdoing.
    — Eamon Javers,Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The author laughs ruefully when accused of his own version of nostalgia, admitting that the version of the airport he’s created feels closer to our present-day reality.
    — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of admitting
Verb
  • Williams sort of took Sam’s advice about confessing her feelings to Eleanor and almost instantly regretted it, so that could get very messy very quickly.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Another alleged confession came in February 2016, when an undercover operative, reportedly working on behalf of RadarOnline and the National Enquirer, secretly filmed van der Sloot in a Peruvian prison confessing to Natalee’s murder.
    — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of confessing
Verb
  • Conwell closed with 13 points, acknowledging that his function is to play as a disruptor.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Shikishima and his allies try their best to combat the extraterrestrial threat while debating whether Godzilla is worth the risk of resurrection, acknowledging that sometimes the only way to beat one kaiju is with another.
    — Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of acknowledging
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.

Browse Nearby Words

fesses (up)
fessing (up)
fess (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Fessing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fessing%20%28up%29. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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