Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

self-confessed

American  
[self-kuhn-fest, self-] / ˈsɛlf kənˈfɛst, ˌsɛlf- /

adjective

  1. openly admitting to being a type of person with a particular quality, habit, character, etc..

    He's a self-confessed gambler.


self-confessed British  

adjective

  1. according to one's own testimony or admission

    a self-confessed liar

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of self-confessed

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Herbert, a self-confessed "golf nerd", knew how close he was to history and despondently stooped down with his hands on his knees after missing the putt.

From BBC Jul. 17, 2026

Or you can get riled up with impatience, jealousy and/or dismay with a self-confessed couple who has everything, including $6 million set aside for retirement, and still want advice.

From MarketWatch May 13, 2026

The self-confessed rap fan even threw in some hip-hop lyrics, declaring Iran's leaders to be, in the words of Cypress Hill, "insane in the brain."

From Barron's May 6, 2026

The self-confessed spy agreed to plead guilty and tell the FBI everything he knew, in an effort to secure leniency for his wife, Rosario, who faced related charges.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 27, 2026

After a long while Samwell Tarly began to talk, and Jon Snow listened quietly, and learned how it was that a self-confessed coward found himself on the Wall.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com