English Dictionary

Definition of “confess”

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confess (kənˈfɛsPronunciation for confess) 

Definitions

verb (when tr, may take a clause as object)

  1.  when intr, often foll by to to make an acknowledgment or admission (of faults, misdeeds, crimes, etc)
  2. (tr) to admit or grant to be true; concede
  3. Christianity mainly Roman Catholic Church to declare (one's sins) to God or to a priest as his representative, so as to obtain pardon and absolution

Alternative Forms

conˈfessable adjective

Word Origin

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

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= admit, acknowledge, disclose, confide, own up, come clean, divulge, blurt out, come out of the closet make a clean breast of, get (something) off your chest spill your guts 'fess up, sing, cough,
= declare, own up, allow, prove, reveal, grant, confirm, concede, assert, manifest, affirm, profess, attest, evince, aver,

Translations

  • British English: confess Pronunciation for confess If you confess to doing something wrong or something that you are ashamed of, you admit that you did it.He confessed to the crime. I had expected her to confess that she only wrote these books for the money.kənˈfɛs VERB He confessed to the crime. I had expected her to confess that she only wrote these books for the money.
  • Spanish: confesar Pronunciation for confesar v
  • French: confesser Pronunciation for confesser v
  • German: gestehen Pronunciation for gestehen v
  • Chinese: 坦白Pronunciation for 坦白 v
  • Arabic: يَعْتَرِفُPronunciation for يَعْتَرِفُ v
  • Portuguese: confessarPronunciation for confessar v
  • Russian: признаватьPronunciation for признавать v
  • Croatian: priznatiPronunciation for priznati v
  • Czech: přiznat (se)Pronunciation for přiznat (se) v přiznávat (se)
  • Danish: tilståPronunciation for tilstå v
  • Dutch: bekennenPronunciation for bekennen v
  • Finnish: tunnustaaPronunciation for tunnustaa v
  • Greek: ομολογώPronunciation for ομολογώ v
  • Italian: confessarePronunciation for confessare v
  • Japanese: 自白するPronunciation for 自白する v
  • Korean: 고백하다Pronunciation for 고백하다 v
  • Norwegian: tilståPronunciation for tilstå v
  • Polish: wyspowiadać sięPronunciation for wyspowiadać się v spowiadać się
  • Brazilian Portuguese: confessarPronunciation for confessar v
  • European Spanish: confesar Pronunciation for confesar v
  • Swedish: erkännaPronunciation for erkänna v
  • Thai: สารภาพPronunciation for สารภาพ v
  • Turkish: itiraf etmekPronunciation for itiraf etmek v
  • Vietnamese: thú nhậnPronunciation for thú nhận v

Usage examples

  • Hollis was forced to confess to Mary that he couldn't really swim.
    Mark Mills, AMAGANSETT (2004)
  • I must confess that we were probably too ambitious with out investments.
    Business Today (2001)
  • Later Haigh was to confess that the fumes almost drove him crazy.
    Toronto Sun (2003)
  • Whenever scientists disagree, or confess their ignorance, the lay public is confronted by uncertainty.
    Independent (1998)
  • Dear Father, I confess that some of my pressures are self-inflicted.
    Munro, Bill Dr. & Munro, Frances, Beat Stress (1992)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'C'

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