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
Relevance
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fess (up)
Verb
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When the mother admits that her children are not vaccinated, Robby tells her that MMR is safe but measles is not.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2025 -
Estrangement is far more common than most admit—and often cloaked in shame or silence.—
Avivah Wittenberg-Cox,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Xavier Davis, 32, confessed to killing Gregory Carhee, 35, Donyavia Lagway, 29, and the couple's 6-year-old daughter Harmony Carhee on June 30, 2021.—
Chris Spargo,
People.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Deep down, the designer confessed that Oude Waag reflects his desire and appreciation for complex female characters who don’t confine themselves to traditional gender norms.—
Tianwei Zhang,
WWD,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday acknowledged that Trump’s tariffs, which were significantly more aggressive than the central bank had expected, would drive prices higher and slow down the economy.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2025
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Intersectionality acknowledges that there are multiple layers of oppression that need to be addressed to overcome these barriers.—
Anou Khot,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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However, Barcelona have scored 20 goals more than Real Madrid in the first 29 league games of the season, while also conceding one goal fewer.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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The Dyer and Sheehan conceded there was no consensus.—
Chelsea Cantilli,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2025
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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 10 Apr. 2025.
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