OWNS (UP) Synonyms: 13 Similar and Opposite Words

owns (up)

verb

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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Recent Examples of Synonyms for owns (up)

Verb

Disarmed by his stepson’s surprise appearance, Morgan confesses to being the cheater.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
Prue follows the advice, confesses what happened to Mac, and discovers the secret her parents have been keeping from her all along.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of confesses

Verb

Reflecting on 12 years as a business — four of those with KC area locations — Harb admits that the brand has come a long way.

— Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
But while the coaches may be having fun in the red chairs, the artists competing for their teams face a much more serious reality this season, and Levine admits that this new Cut Week curveball is anything but easy.

— Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of admits

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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owns

owns (up)

owns (up to)

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“Owns (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/owns%20%28up%29. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of owns (up)

verb

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