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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for own (up)
Verb
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Eventually, Friedmann identified himself and confessed.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026 -
Cheryl’s father had died years earlier, not knowing that someone had confessed.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Trump officials have rebuked the Biden administration for allowing millions of asylum seekers into the country through the southern border, arguing that doing so has endangered public safety by admitting potential criminals.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Even prosecutor Laurie Baio admitted that, despite Kassotis' inconsistencies, jurors might have doubts about his guilt.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Own (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/own%20%28up%29. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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