confession

American  

[kuhn-fesh-uhn] / kənˈfɛʃ ən /

noun

1. acknowledgment; avowal; admission.

   a confession of incompetence.

2. acknowledgment or disclosure of sin or sinfulness, especially to a priest to obtain absolution.

3. something that is confessed.

4. a formal, usually written, acknowledgment of guilt by a person accused of a crime.

5. Also called confession of faith.  a formal profession of belief and acceptance of doctrines, as before being admitted to church membership.

6. the tomb of a martyr or confessor or the altar or shrine connected with it.

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confession British  

/ kənˈfɛʃən /

noun

1. the act of confessing

2. something confessed

3. an acknowledgment or declaration, esp of one's faults, misdeeds, or crimes

4. Christianity RC Church the act of a penitent accusing himself or herself of his or her sins

5. a formal public avowal of religious beliefs

6. a religious denomination or sect united by a common system of beliefs

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confession Cultural  

1. In some church es, notably the Roman Catholic Church, a sacrament in which repentant sinners individually or as a group privately confess their sins in front of a priest and receive absolution from the guilt of their sins. In the first few centuries of Christianity, repentant sinners were assigned public penances: sinners had to stay outside the entrance of the church and ask the people going inside to pray for them. The period of public penance could be shortened through an indulgence.

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Other Word Forms

• confessionary adjective
• preconfession noun

Etymology

Origin of confession

1350–1400; < Latin confessiōn- (stem of confessiō ), equivalent to confess- ( see confess) + -iōn- -ion; replacing Middle English confessioun < Anglo-French

Explanation

A confession is an admission of guilt, fault, or a mistake. You’ve probably seen TV shows or movies where a detective says to a suspect "Confess!" The detective is trying to get a confession, which is a statement that admits some type of guilt. "I killed the mayor!" is a confession. "I forgot your birthday" is a confession. In some religions, confession is a sacrament where people admit their sins and seek forgiveness. When people have something painful to admit, they often start by saying, "I have a confession to make."

Example Sentences

Whether the tweet was a confession or a clerical error, travel experts say the advice on how to avoid surprise price jumps is a relic of a simpler internet.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

After Ahmad got home, Enchassi sat his friend down and made a confession:

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

Here is where I need to make a confession: I led with a similar anecdote in our January 2024 column, in which I vowed to kick the social-media habit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

The crew of the Artemis II didn't seem too miffed by Glass Animal's confession, even starting their seventh day in space by listening to the band's 2019 collaboration with rapper Denzel Curry, Tokyo Drifting.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

“I got a little confession, though,” Z said.

From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech

Related Words

• acknowledgment
• admission
• assertion
• concession
• disclosure
• proclamation
• revelation
• statement
• story