confess
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to acknowledge or avow (a fault, crime, misdeed, weakness, etc.) by way of revelation.
- Antonyms:
- conceal
-
to own or admit as true.
I must confess that I haven't read the book.
- Antonyms:
- deny
-
to declare or acknowledge (one's sins), especially to God or a priest in order to obtain absolution.
-
(of a priest) to hear the confession of (a person).
-
to acknowledge one's belief or faith in; declare adherence to.
-
to reveal by circumstances.
verb (used without object)
-
to make confession plead guilty; own.
to confess to a crime.
-
to make confession of sins, especially to a priest.
-
(of a priest) to hear confession.
verb
-
to make an acknowledgment or admission (of faults, misdeeds, crimes, etc)
-
(tr) to admit or grant to be true; concede
-
Christianity RC Church to declare (one's sins) to God or to a priest as his representative, so as to obtain pardon and absolution
Related Words
See acknowledge.
Other Word Forms
- confessable adjective
- confessingly adverb
- half-confessed adjective
- preconfess verb (used with object)
- unconfessed adjective
- unconfessing adjective
Etymology
Origin of confess
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But while he had a wonderful visit, the diver confessed that he was ready to go back to Panama.
From MarketWatch
The film is essentially a three-hander, Teddy going to harrowing extremes to force Michelle to confess, with poor, loyal Don caught in the middle.
From Los Angeles Times
"I wanted to be behind the scenes, writing music for someone else," confesses Maddell.
From BBC
The actress confesses she was "conscious and scared" of whether she could portray the character and story "as honestly and bravely and humanly as possible".
From BBC
And here’s where I have to confess I did once see the ball drop.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
