English Explanatory Dictionary

confess

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed.
To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.
To unburden (oneself) of sins to God or a priest, in order to receive absolution.
To hear or receive such a confession of sins from.
To disclose or reveal.
To profess one's love.

Pronunciation

/kənˈfɛs/ en-us-confess.ogg

Word forms

confess confesses confessing confessed

Etymology

From Middle English confessen, from Anglo-Norman confesser, from Old French confesser, from Latin confessus (Old French confés), past participle of cōnfiteor (“to confess, admit”) from con- + fateor (“to admit”). Displaced Middle English andetten (“to confess, admit”) (from Old English andettan). Doublet of confiteor. Sense 6 is a calque of 告白 (kokuhaku).

Synonyms

acknowledge admit assent avow beknow come clean concede confess fess fess up front up make a clean breast own own up shrive sing spill one's guts spill the beans step forward talk tell all unbosom

Antonyms

abjure deny disavow disclaim disown reject

Related words

confession confessional confessor own up come clean rat out

Derived words

a fault confessed is half redressed confessable confessee confessingly confessing Sam confessive fess fess up nonconfessing reconfess self-confessed stand confessed unconfess unconfessing

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