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

"I felt guilt and an acute sense that there had to be loss," she confessed.

From BBC

Gein ultimately confessed to murdering Hogan and Worden and robbing more than 40 graves, though he denied cannibalism and necrophilia claims.

From Los Angeles Times

Khalusha had reportedly confessed to his crimes but his lawyer later told a court that he had been tortured.

From BBC

Four months later, detectives seemingly caught him confessing on a jailhouse recording that he and Dallas Pineda, 17, had brought the young women to the park and killed them.

From Los Angeles Times

I confess to Shires that I’m more than 2½ years removed from my own traumatic breakup, one that still manages to derail my days.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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