own up

Idioms  

1. Confess, make a full admission, as in Come on, Tim, you'd better own up that you lost the car keys. This idiom uses the verb own in the sense of “acknowledge.” [Colloquial; mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

The U.S. should own up to its good intentions.

From Barron's • Jan. 14, 2026

It can in some cases promote a defensive culture, where people do not own up to their mistakes and lead to individuals being blamed rather than supported to improve.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2025

While she has been seemingly ruthless in her job as a sniper who exterminates the game players who fail, she also has sympathy for Gyeong-seok, having left behind a daughter of her own up North.

From Salon • Dec. 29, 2024

She advises parents to "own up and apologise and try to learn from it for next time".

From BBC • Aug. 12, 2024

I’m telling him he’s afraid to own up to the fact that he’s an idiot.

From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin

Related Words

• accept
• affirm
• agree
• allow
• approve
• concede
• confirm
• declare
• disclose
• grant
• indicate
• permit
• recognize
• reveal
• talk
• tell