confess

[kuhn-fes]

verb (used with object)

1. to acknowledge or avow (a fault, crime, misdeed, weakness, etc.) by way of revelation.

   Antonyms: conceal

2. to own or admit as true.

   I must confess that I haven't read the book.

   Synonyms: concede, grant
   Antonyms: deny

3. to declare or acknowledge (one's sins), especially to God or a priest in order to obtain absolution.

4. (of a priest) to hear the confession of (a person).

5. to acknowledge one's belief or faith in; declare adherence to.

6. to reveal by circumstances.

verb (used without object)

1. to make confession plead guilty; own.

   to confess to a crime.

2. to make confession of sins, especially to a priest.

3. (of a priest) to hear confession.

confess

/ kənˈfɛs /

verb

1. to make an acknowledgment or admission (of faults, misdeeds, crimes, etc)

2. (tr) to admit or grant to be true; concede

3. Christianity RC Church to declare (one's sins) to God or to a priest as his representative, so as to obtain pardon and absolution

Other Word Forms

• confessable adjective
• confessingly adverb
• half-confessed adjective
• preconfess verb (used with object)
• unconfessed adjective
• unconfessing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of confess¹

1300–50; Middle English confessen < Anglo-French, Old French confesser < Medieval Latin confessāre, verbal derivative of Latin confessus, past participle of confitērī to admit, confess, equivalent to con- con- + -fitērī, combining form of fatērī to admit

Word History and Origins

Origin of confess¹

C14: from Old French confesser, from Late Latin confessāre, from Latin confessus confessed, from confitērī to admit, from fatērī to acknowledge; related to Latin fārī to speak

Synonym Study

See acknowledge.

Example Sentences

Not only did Crimewatch help put a name to the mystery body, it prompted someone to come forward and confess to being involved in Karen's murder.

Read more on BBC

“I didn’t know that orchids grew in Florida or that they grew in the wild at all,” she confesses.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Ms. Legacki confesses that corporate America favors making deals with a brazen authoritarian over democratic accountability.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He confesses that, writing with the aid of Nelle Fortenberry, his longtime producing partner, he put the book together rapidly to hit shelves in time for the film’s 40th anniversary.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Jones confessed: "I have completely stolen James's idea for the answer to what happened on the fishing trip. I say 'I don't know because I wasn't there'."

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• acknowledge 
• assert 
• blurt out 
• concede 
• confide 
• declare 
• disclose 
• divulge 
• profess 
• prove 
• recognize 
• relate 
• reveal