confession

noun

con·​fes·​sion kən-ˈfe-shən 

1

a

: an act of confessing

especially : a disclosure of one's sins in the sacrament of reconciliation

b

: a session for the confessing of sins

go to confession

2

: a statement of what is confessed: such as

a

: a written or oral acknowledgment of guilt by a party accused of an offense

b

: a formal statement of religious beliefs : creed

the Augsburg Confession of the Lutheran Church

3

: an organized religious body having a common creed

Synonyms of confession

• admission

Examples of confession in a Sentence

She went to the police station and made a full confession.

I have a confession to make: I have never done this before.

The priest will hear confessions after mass today.

I haven't gone to confession in three years.

Recent Examples on the Web

DeSalvo recanted his confession before he was stabbed to death in a maximum-security prison, according to the outlet. —Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025

The two record her full confession, and Bellwether and her co-conspirators are arrested. —Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025

Abbott tells her that the bureau is pulling the plug on the whole thing in light of Ryder’s confession. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025

The brothers didn’t appear offended by his confession and instead burst into laughter. —Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English confessioun, borrowed from Anglo-French confession, borrowed from Latin confessiōn-, confessiō, from confiteor, confitērī "to admit (a fact, the truth of a statement or charge)" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at confess

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing confession

• self-confession