confess
Americanverb (used with object)
-
confesses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
confessed,
past participle, past
-
confessing
present participle
-
to acknowledge or avow (a fault, crime, misdeed, weakness, etc.) by way of revelation.
- Antonyms:
- conceal
-
to own or admit as true.
I must confess that I haven't read the book.
- Antonyms:
- deny
-
to declare or acknowledge (one's sins), especially to God or a priest in order to obtain absolution.
-
(of a priest) to hear the confession of (a person).
-
to acknowledge one's belief or faith in; declare adherence to.
-
to reveal by circumstances.
verb (used without object)
-
confesses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
confessed,
past participle, past
-
confessing
present participle
-
to make confession plead guilty; own.
to confess to a crime.
-
to make confession of sins, especially to a priest.
-
(of a priest) to hear confession.
verb
-
to make an acknowledgment or admission (of faults, misdeeds, crimes, etc)
-
(tr) to admit or grant to be true; concede
-
Christianity RC Church to declare (one's sins) to God or to a priest as his representative, so as to obtain pardon and absolution
Synonym Usage
See acknowledge.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
preconfessverb (used with object)
-
confessableadjective
-
half-confessedadjective
-
unconfessedadjective
-
unconfessingadjective
-
confessinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
confesssimple
-
confessessimple
-
have confessedperfect
-
has confessedperfect
-
am confessingprogressive
-
are confessingprogressive
-
is confessingprogressive
-
have been confessingperfect progressive
-
has been confessingperfect progressive
Past
-
confessedsimple
-
had confessedperfect
-
was confessingprogressive
-
were confessingprogressive
-
had been confessingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of confess
1300–50; Middle English confessen < Anglo-French, Old French confesser < Medieval Latin confessāre, verbal derivative of Latin confessus, past participle of confitērī to admit, confess, equivalent to con- con- + -fitērī, combining form of fatērī to admit
Explanation
When you confess, you admit to doing something wrong. You might feel guilty about eating the entire platter of chocolate chip cookies and confess to your mom before she notices. If she presses charges, you would confess to the cookie crime. Confess can be used to describe admitting to committing a crime. If you watch crime shows on TV, you've likely seen detectives trying to get a suspect to confess. Confess can also be used in a religious context. Catholics confess their sins to a priest on a regular basis. Don't confuse the word confess with apology. An apology involves expressing regret about something. When you confess, you're merely owning up to doing it — you might not be sorry.
Vocabulary lists containing confess
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act IV
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"America"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
I must confess that I long ago lost interest in what he was selling.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Earlier, Chalong had called political commentator Anchalee Paireerak, who was livestreaming on YouTube at the time, to confess to the incident.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
But when she does lie, she is compelled to confess, even when the fib is innocuous.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
We are more than halfway through the North American installment of Gianni Infantino’s bedazzled global soccer smorgasbord, and even the ball-deflating soccer grinches among us must confess the action’s been…fairly irresistible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
“These last couple of days have been hard,” I confess.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
“I can’t seem to sit around in quiet contemplation anymore,” she confesses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Even at 79 — he’ll hit octogenarian status in December — Kaye confesses he hasn’t slowed down as a collector.
From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026
"I'm a physics teacher and I've got a terrible sense of humour," he confesses, so he particularly likes it if the students pick up on his fondness for corny puns.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Muir confesses that this feature of the market is overlooked by many market players, partly because it’s esoteric and seemingly innocuous.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
And in his final letter Ruess nonchalantly confesses to his brother: I have had a few narrow escapes from rattlers and crumbling cliffs.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
These are utterly baseless, as Lindsay Clancy has confessed.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
The investigation was reopened in 2016 when US authorities learned that Masud had been arrested following Gaddafi's fall, and had confessed his involvement in the bombing to the new Libyan authorities.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
As one security guard confessed to those checking to see if their VIP wristbands granted them access to the coveted Clubhouse lawn, “I wish I could let you all in.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Anger has intensified since police charged a local man, who has allegedly confessed to sparking one of the fires.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
She knew I wasn’t having an easy time getting along with the girls on the softball team and I had confessed to her that I was thinking about quitting.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
By genuinely confessing on the dance floor, Madonna has made a far more moving and crucial “biopic” than any shiny studio film could afford her.
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026
Most videos go viral quickly after posting, as comment sections get flooded with girlfriends everywhere confessing their codependent tendencies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Hollywood star Angelina Jolie has put her legendary Los Angeles estate on the market for $29.9 million—nearly two years after confessing that she wanted to leave the U.S. for good and move abroad.
From MarketWatch ● May 19, 2026
After finally confessing to their bosses about these secret missions, they were allowed to continue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2026
Since I’m confessing, I also love the view of the woods from the great-room window, the gleam of the hardwood floor in the family room, and the soft-peach colors of my bedroom.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
