confessional

American  

[kuhn-fesh-uh-nl] / kənˈfɛʃ ə nl /

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or based on confession.

   confessional release.

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noun

1. the place set apart for the hearing of confessions by a priest.

2. French Furniture. a high, upholstered wing chair of the 18th century.

confessional British  

/ kənˈfɛʃənəl /

adjective

1. of, like, or suited to a confession

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noun

1. Christianity RC Church a small stall, usually enclosed and divided by a screen or curtain, where a priest hears confessions

2. a book of penitential prayers

Other Word Forms

• pseudoconfessional
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of confessional

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin confessiōnāle, neuter of confessiōnālis (adjective); see confession, -al ¹; confessional defs. 2, 3 from French, from Medieval Latin

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

confessional

The 83-year-old confessional lyricist said in a statement that she had "been learning how to live with Parkinson's disease" and that she had also been treated for skin cancer.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

She arguably saved her best to last, closing out with her confessional anthem Messy, which secured her the Grammy for best pop solo performance and the breakthrough prize at the Brit Awards earlier this year.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

It’s worth noting she first gained recognition in Hollywood near the tail end of the 2010s, a decade defined by confessional, antiheroic millennial dramedy in the comically self-aware vein of “Girls,” “Insecure” and “Broad City.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026

One advertisement is a video of a young woman talking to the camera in a confessional style typical of influencers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

His silence made me feel like I was suspended in space, like I’d been dropped into a confessional.

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi