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

See Examples For:

own up

He still got the job and learned later that his interviewers had set him up, wanting to know if he’d own up to what they already knew.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

But one aspect of a fair justice system is for wrongdoers to face proportionate consequences—not to be shunned forever, but to be expected to own up, make amends, and, sometimes, pay a penalty.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

Operators who own up to and including five vehicles will receive €1,350 per vehicle; operators who own six to 20 will receive €790 and operators with over 21 vehicles will receive €300.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 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

So I made Dilsey own up, then I told Mother.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner

Related Words

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