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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for own (up)
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
  • Wuornos, a serial killer who confessed to murdering seven men in Florida from 1989 to 1999 before being sentenced to death for her crimes, was dating a woman named Tyria Moore at the time of her murder spree.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While his girlfriend’s commitment to her studies impressed him, the man admitted that her routine had become a nightly obstacle to his rest.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
  • When the cremation center staff asked what happened, the partner admitted Aria had been killed by a larger dog.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 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.

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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 6 Nov. 2025.

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