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
Relevance
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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Letters admitting compulsions and guilt Judge Lopez must also weigh whether letters Cox wrote to a judge in 1993 and 1995 will be admissible.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Feb. 2026 -
Adelman provides cover for players, admitting the length of the schedule, the back-to-backs, makes defensive efforts like that against Boston impossible to replicate every night.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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So did confessing to a crime, oddly.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
3 Mar. 2026
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After finally confessing to their bosses about these secret missions, they were allowed to continue.—
Costa Beavin Pappas,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Attorneys for Meta say the company discloses risks and makes efforts to weed out harmful content and experiences -- acknowledging that some bad material still gets through its safety net.—
MORGAN LEE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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Attorneys for Meta say the company discloses risks and makes efforts to weed out harmful content and experiences — acknowledging that some bad material still gets through its safety net.—
Morgan Lee,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 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 8 Mar. 2026.
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