FESSING (UP) Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

fessing (up)

verb

present participle of fess (up)

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

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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

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for fessing (up)

Verb

Related Stories The finale starts off with a flashback to Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) picking up Jordan from prison following a 10-year sentence after admitting fault for the deadly attack on Rushfield.

— Justin Kroll, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2026
In 2011, the two witnesses from Carter's original trial were tracked down in Mexico, admitting they had been told to lie in court and had received cash and gifts from police in exchange for their testimonies.

— Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of admitting

Verb

On July 23, 1973, tragedy rippled through the Mexican American community when 12-year-old Santos Rodriguez was shot and killed by a Dallas police officer who tried to coerce him into confessing to a burglary by playing Russian roulette.

— Alexis Guerrero, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Throw in some divine intervention with the first Chicago pope confessing his allegiance to the South Siders, and the Cinderella story has captured the nation’s imagination.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of confessing

Verb

The actor said the film was deliberately kept short, acknowledging that today's audiences may not have the patience to sit through a lengthy saga.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Recognizing, acknowledging and working to rectify, wherever possible, the moral blindspots, inequities and shortfalls of the past is not hatred for our nation, as some suggest.

— James Coffin, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of acknowledging

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.

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fesses (up)

fessing (up)

fess (up)

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“Fessing (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fessing%20%28up%29. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of fessing (up)

verb

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