Colloquial Variant guide

fess up

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To confess to something; to admit something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: own up

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

admit or acknowledge a wrongdoing or error

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the writer of the anonymous letter owned up after they identified his handwriting

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: make a clean breast of, own up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: concede, profess, confess

History

Etymology

Clipping of confess up.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: zugeben — to confess
  • German: gestehen — to confess
  • German: beichten — to confess
  • Polish: przyznawać się — to confess
  • Polish: przyznać się — to confess