confession

American  

[kuhn-fesh-uhn] / kənˈfɛʃ ən /

noun

• confessions
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• preconfession
  noun
• confessionary
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• confessions
  plural

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

See Examples For:

confession confessions

"It was a private issue. According to his confession, it was about money that the... chairman borrowed from him for several years, and he asked for the return of the money several times," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

The existence of Al-Marimi's alleged confession was first revealed in 2020 when the US government announced it was charging him over the bombing.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

The confession is unsurprising because the Department of Energy had made almost identical confessions in two previous federal lawsuits.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

In a brutally self-aware confession, Yasmina observes, “I carry bitterness for humanity, for relationships and for myself.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

I learned later that Mrs. Thayer sat down with this third man of her Future at his detective agency, and she provided a full confession about her lover’s wicked deed.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

There are no explosive revelations, gotcha moments, dramatic confessions, or theatrical outbursts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

Some agencies have party members read offenders’ confessions and watch documentaries depicting cases of self-serving officials who worked for their own gain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

Presenters remarked that he would eek out personal confessions and emotional reactions from his guests through his skilful questioning.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

It said his "confessions" would be broadcast on state television Monday evening.

From Barron's ● May 11, 2026

“How about we do true confessions later and worry about escaping now?”

From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau

Related Words

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