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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fessing (up)
Verb
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Harvick commented on the setback, admitting that Blaney was in a powerful car but pointed out that this was his second motor to go up.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025 -
Model vulnerability by admitting your missteps, demonstrating that open communication is valued.—
Michael D. Watkins,
Big Think,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Even parties who both wanted to divorce utilizing these grounds, one or both was forced to commit perjury by acknowledging something that wasn’t true.—
Patricia Fersch,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Validate their emotions by acknowledging their feelings and then gently redirecting their attention.—
Smita Patel,
Verywell Health,
9 Apr. 2025
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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 1 May. 2025.
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