Synonyms for confess
Definitions
- v. 1
To admit to the truth, particularly in the context of sins or crimes committed.
I confess that I am a sinner.
- v. 2
To acknowledge faith in; to profess belief in.
- v. 3
To unburden (oneself) of sins to God or a priest, in order to receive absolution.
- v. 4
To hear or receive such a confession of sins from.
Related words
- Word family
- confessant confession confessional confessor
- Is a kind of
- divulge surrender
Forms
- Past participle
- confessed
e.g. confessed → admitted, acknowledged, conceded, professed…
Choose the right word
Confess has a high and sacred use in the religious sense; as, to confess Christ before men.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- admit I must admit I don't like much contemporary music.
- acknowledge Could you please acknowledge receipt of this note?
- concede They concede most of their goals from set pieces.
- profess Fadil wrote Layla a poem to profess his love.
- reveal Sami didn't reveal the identity of his assailants.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| confess | rising | |
| admit | steady | |
| acknowledge | rising | |
| concede | steady | |
| profess | steady | |
| reveal | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- own1
- 4 letters
- tell1, talk1, fink1, aver2, avow2
- 5 letters
- allow2, grant1, admit2
- 6 letters
- accept2, reveal2, assent2, squeal1, shrive
- 7 letters
- concede2, profess2, divulge2, unbosom
- 8 letters
- disclose2
- 9 letters
- recognize3, recognise3
- 11 letters
- acknowledge3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (aver2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- avouer
- Italiano
- confessare
- Español
- confesar
- Deutsch
- gestehen