To admit or confess to something, especially something you have done wrong or have been trying to hide.
To tell the truth and say you did something wrong after trying to hide it.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To confess or admit to doing something wrong, especially after initially denying or hiding it.
"Come on, just fess up — who ate the last slice of cake?"
It's time to fess up to your mistakes.
— Common colloquial expression; widely used in American media.
To reveal a secret or hidden information about oneself, often under pressure.
"After three hours of questioning, he finally fessed up about where the money had gone."
Chiefly American English, though understood in British English. Very informal and conversational. Often used in a light-hearted or humorous tone for minor confessions, as well as for more serious ones. Frequently followed by 'to + noun/gerund': 'fess up to taking the cookie'.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "fess up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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