verb

confess

kuhn-FEHS

verb

To admit that you have done something wrong, or that something is true.

"He confessed to breaking the window."

"She confessed she had never actually read the book."

To tell a priest about your sins as part of a religious practice.

"He went to confess before Sunday Mass."

How to Use Confess

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo own up to something, whether it's a crime, a mistake, a secret, or a religious sin.

Common pairings

confess to a crime confess your feelings confess a sin

confessed past tense, confesses singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

He _____ to breaking the window.

From Old French confesser, from Latin cōnfiteor, "to admit" — from con- + fateor ("to admit").

acknowledge admit assent avow beknow come clean concede fess up fess front up make a clean breast own

abjure deny disavow disclaim disown reject

abandon abstain accept conceal buy approval choose defeat

acknowledge admit assent avow beknow come clean concede fess up fess front up make a clean breast own