confess

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /kənˈfɛs/ See IPA manual

Freq #2834

Meanings

1

verb
To admit that you have done something wrong.

He finally confessed that he had taken the money.
2

verb
To admit something embarrassing or reluctantly, often about yourself.

I must confess that I have never read the book.
3

verb
To tell your sins to God or a priest in order to be forgiven.

She goes to church every week to confess.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to admit that you have done... admit

More acknowledge assent avow beknow concede fess ownshrivesing talkunbosom

Opposites

abjure deny disavow disclaim disown reject

Word family

Forms confessedconfessesconfessingconfest

Derived forms confessableconfesseeconfessinglyconfessivefessnonconfessingreconfessself-confessedunconfessunconfessing

Related forms confession confessional confessor

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).

*bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European confessen Middle English confesser Old French confessus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# confess

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kənˈfɛs/
**Frequency rank:** 2834

## Meanings
1. To admit that you have done something wrong.
2. To admit something embarrassing or reluctantly, often about yourself.
3. To tell your sins to God or a priest in order to be forgiven.

## Examples
- He finally confessed that he had taken the money.
- I must confess that I have never read the book.
- She goes to church every week to confess.

## Synonyms
- acknowledge
- admit
- assent
- avow
- beknow
- concede
- fess
- own
- shrive
- sing
- talk
- unbosom

## Antonyms
- abjure
- deny
- disavow
- disclaim
- disown
- reject

## Derived Forms
- confessable
- confessee
- confessingly
- confessive
- fess
- nonconfessing
- reconfess
- self-confessed
- unconfess
- unconfessing

## Related Forms
- confession
- confessional
- confessor

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰeh₂-
- Root: confessen
- Root: confesser
- Root: confessus

## 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).

## AI Etymology
confess is a verb. It is 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). Historical forms in the chain include *bʰeh₂- (Proto-Indo-European), confessen (Middle English), confesser (Anglo-Norman), confesser (Old French), and confessus (Latin). Current senses include to admit that you have done something wrong, to admit something embarrassing or reluctantly, often about yourself, and to tell your sins to God or a priest in order to be forgiven. Derived forms include confessable, confessee, confessingly, confessive, and fess. Related words include confession, confessional, and confessor.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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