to acknowledge or avow (a fault, crime, misdeed, weakness, etc.) by way of revelation.
to own or admit as true: I must confess that I haven't read the book.
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)
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.
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
SYNONYMS FOR confess
2 grant, concede.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR confess ON THESAURUS.COM
ANTONYMS FOR confess
1 conceal.
2 deny.
SEE ANTONYMS FOR confess ON THESAURUS.COM
synonym study for confess
1. See acknowledge.
OTHER WORDS FROM confess
con·fess·a·ble,adjectivecon·fess·ingly,adverbhalf-con·fessed,adjectivepre·con·fess,verb (used with object)
She confessed to the police that she had stolen drugs and patients’ property.
She Was Afraid of Her Lawyer. Then the Text Messages Started.|by Samantha Hogan, The Maine Monitor|October 8, 2020|ProPublica
“I never wanted to play guitar,” he confessed at a talk at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in 2015.
Guitar legend Eddie Van Halen dies of cancer at 65|radmarya|October 6, 2020|Fortune
After turning him in to the police, Mambetov says her now ex-friend confessed to his crimes and was arrested on six counts of fraud before being released on bail and fleeing.
How Designer Elle Mambetov Started Again|Nandi Howard|September 28, 2020|Essence.com
I confess that I was a little surprised that they did decide to start playing again — I thought this was it for the season.
What Happened In The NBA This Week?|Sara Ziegler (sara.ziegler@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 28, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
And, again, I now confess, I had an occasional Bourbon and stoogie on the cuff.
Up to a Point: In Defense of Lobbyists|P. J. O’Rourke|October 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I will now confess that I spent some time in the lobby of the Willard Hotel myself.
Up to a Point: In Defense of Lobbyists|P. J. O’Rourke|October 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Spitz “persuaded Schwend that his best chance would be to confess his activities with the RSHA and to cooperate with us.”
On the Trail of Nazi Counterfeiters|Dr. Kevin C. Ruffner|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
During their incarceration, they were humiliated and forced to confess on national television.
Iran Court Sentences ‘Happy’ Dancers to 6 months and 91 Lashes|IranWire|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I confess a particular weakness for his chocolate biscuits and pork pate with onion marmalade.
Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland|Clive Irving|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I confess I was almost startled on seeing them with a number of brilliant looking snakes.
On the Banks of the Amazon|W.H.G. Kingston
At morning this was very pleasant; at evening, I confess I was generally too tired with the excitements of the day to think it so.
Summer on the Lakes, in 1843|S.M. Fuller
After a third attempt I desisted, not a little hurt, I confess, but not in the least inclined to quarrel with him.
Wilfrid Cumbermede|George MacDonald
Bring him away, Jug: yet the villain would not confess a word, till it was found about him.
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 12 (of 15)|Robert Dodsley
That may be but little, I confess, for I tell you our ignorance is great.
The Missing Ship|W. H. G. Kingston
British Dictionary definitions for confess
confess
/ (kənˈfɛs) /
verb(when tr, may take a clause as object)
(when intr, often foll by to) to make an acknowledgment or admission (of faults, misdeeds, crimes, etc)
(tr)to admit or grant to be true; concede
Christianity, mainlyRC Churchto declare (one's sins) to God or to a priest as his representative, so as to obtain pardon and absolution
Derived forms of confess
confessable, adjective
Word Origin for confess
C14: from Old French confesser, from Late Latin confessāre, from Latin confessus confessed, from confitērī to admit, from fatērī to acknowledge; related to Latin fārī to speak