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
-
Making room for levity is, then, a way of admitting the human—not through the granular and intimate detail that lends Ferrante’s novels their power but through a broader concession to nature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025 -
State officials agreed to pay $85,000 to the plaintiffs in that case without admitting wrongdoing, though the state law that previously banned gender identity discrimination is no longer in effect.—
Samantha Riedel,
Them.,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The victim’s grandson, 17-year-old Jadynn Hamilton, was arrested and charged in connection with her death that evening after allegedly confessing to the crime, per the outlets.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Nickerson was immediately terminated after confessing to the behavior, McKinzie wrote in an email to the congregation at the time.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But many voters seemed to appreciate Mamdani’s acknowledging the challenges of living there, plus his upbeat, accessible timbre of the campaign.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Ty Gee concluded his message by acknowledging the doctors in Las Vegas who worked tirelessly to save his father and by confirming the legitimacy of the family’s GoFundMe page, which will now help with burial expenses.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
4 Nov. 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
“Fessing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fessing%20%28up%29. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share