owns (up)

present tense third-person singular of own (up)
as in confesses
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 owns (up)
Verb
  • Emerald Isle, North Carolina, confesses its obvious charms—brilliant blue-green waters, a verdant maritime forest, and lush marshes—in its name.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 7 July 2026
  • Then Armand confesses to Molloy that, actually, he’s been in love with him for decades.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Garmin News has published an image that purports to be a render of the upcoming wearable, although that site itself admits the veracity of this leak is uncertain.
    Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • After more than five decades together, Hamel admits living alone felt unimaginable after Somers died.
    Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026
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

“Owns (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/owns%20%28up%29. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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