own (up)

as in to confess
to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid had a strong suspicion about which coworker stole her food from the office fridge, but the likely culprit refused to own up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for own (up)
Verb
  • In 1957, Gein confessed in the Wisconsin community of Plainfield to killing two local women, digging up bodies from graveyards, and using body parts and skin to make everything from trophies to lampshades.
    Chris Foran, jsonline.com, 4 Aug. 2025
  • Eric Stonestreet, known for his role on the show as Cameron Tucker, confessed last year that Hollywood life isn’t all it’s cut out to be.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Leaders who admit errors with humor demonstrate resilience.
    Paul Boross MBE, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Fans cannot line up for the show before that time, with people admitted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
    Piet Levy, jsonline.com, 13 Aug. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Own (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/own%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!