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

Booker said Waltz “denied” and “deflected” rather than own up to his mistakes, something the New Jersey senator said is a “failure of leadership.”

From Salon • Jul. 15, 2025

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

Einav and Finkelstein own up to having “preached the gospel” of skin-in-the-game “to generations of students.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2025

Daddy said a man’s got to own up to his mistakes, so I’m gonna tell Miss Cook just what happened with Lymon and hope she’ll forgive me.

From "Finding Langston" by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Related Words

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