1
as in admitting
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 confessing
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 fessing (up)
Verb
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Andrew has always denied the allegations and settled out of court in 2022 without admitting liability.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025 -
One by one, global giants are admitting they've been breached, from tech powerhouses like Google to insurance leaders such as Allianz and Farmers and even luxury brands like Dior.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The following year, the duo’s producer admitted that Morvan and Pilatus lip-synced, confessing that their voices weren’t even on the album.—
Mark Gray,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
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Nickerson was immediately terminated after confessing to the behavior, McKinzie wrote in an email to the congregation at the time.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While acknowledging the challenges and volatility of the current global scenario, the group’s chief executive officer Andrea Guerra sounded pleased with the performance during a call with analysts on Thursday at the end of trading in Hong Kong, where the company is publicly listed.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
23 Oct. 2025
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On July 30, 2024, Ozer signed a plea agreement with prosecutors acknowledging his intent to defraud and obtain money from the Safehaven production under false pretenses.—
Steve Belanger,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Fessing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fessing%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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