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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The administration has also sought to restrict work permits for asylum-seekers and to reexamine the cases of legal refugees admitted under the Biden administration.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026 -
The motion alleges that the court made a mistake in admitting a statement made by Herrera to law enforcement officers during the investigation and allowing certain evidence to be permitted, according to court documents.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee
March 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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He was arrested at the home and later confessed to killing Eric, a student at Florida International University.—
March 30,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In opening statements, prosecutors laid out the details of the attack and said Gerhardt Konig confessed to his 19-year-old son in a FaceTime conversation.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Baseball Writers’ Association of America ultimately acknowledged the gap, as Judge took home 17 first-place MVP votes, his second consecutive MVP, and the third of his career.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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During spring training, Tucker acknowledged that as his goal.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Kings have a -22 scoring differential, with 193 total goals scored and 215 conceded.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
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What remains unknown is what Cuban officials are prepared to concede or change in exchange for the loosening of restrictions.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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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 4 Apr. 2026.
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