fess (up)

verb

ˈfes How to pronounce fess (up) (audio)
Definition of fess (up)next
1
as in to admit
to accept the truth or existence of (something) usually reluctantly he fessed up to breaking the antique vase only after his guilt was obvious

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to confess
to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid at first he denied everything, but eventually he realized that he had no choice but to fess up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fess (up)
  1. admit
  2. confess
  3. acknowledge
  4. concede
Verb
  • Reinbold admits that limited finances have previously restricted their participation.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Three years in, each has become dependent on the other, though both are loath to admit it.
    Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of admit
Verb
  • A number of leads emerged, including a man named John Mark Karr, who confessed to the killing in 2006.
    Doc Louallen, ABC News, 13 Dec. 2024
  • The kitchen beyond it, Roberts confesses, doesn’t get much everyday use.
    David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of confess
Verb
  • The department did acknowledge that the gun looks similar based on images and video from the scene and that the firearm will undergo ballistic testing, authorities told media.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's director-general, acknowledged a malaria connection in most samples while noting the possibility of multiple illnesses at play.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Definition of acknowledge
Verb
  • String theorists concede that daily life proceeds just fine in a three-dimensional world.
    Tom Siegfried, JSTOR Daily, 19 Dec. 2024
  • For comparison, Manchester City conceded the fewest (3).
    Ahmed Walid, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of concede
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near fess (up)

fessing (up)

fess (up)

fest

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Cite this Entry

“Fess (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fess%20%28up%29. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

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