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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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)
Verb
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Her fellow model Alex Consani followed suit, admitting that Yai influenced her to try out the hack.—
Ranyechi Udemezue,
Vogue,
6 Feb. 2026 -
Walmart, Kentucky Legend respond to weight, price miscalculations At least one of the meat manufacturers, Kentucky Legend, posted a statement on its website admitting an error at a store, but not the one that Wrigg had visited.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Also on Monday, Miranda barred Jones’ attorneys from presenting evidence related to other people confessing to the murder, allegedly placing a hit on Pata and threatening Pata before his killing.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
2 Feb. 2026
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In a series of studies at Ohio University, participants viewed videos of people confessing to crimes.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Dean’s attorneys said the verdict marked an important step in holding Uber accountable, while acknowledging that broader legal questions remain unresolved.—
Miguel Torres,
Oklahoman,
6 Feb. 2026
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Music played a key role in the wedding weekend, from acknowledging the different cultures present to drawing attention to transitions in events.—
Kaitlin Menza,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
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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 12 Feb. 2026.
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