confess
gb/kənfˈɛs/ us/kənfˈɛs/
B1
English
~ 2200
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
Admit to wrongdoing or crime
To say that you did something bad or against the law.
Usage pattern:
to confess [something] to [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'confess' with 'admit', not realizing 'confess' usually involves guilt or wrongdoing.
Synonyms
admit (More general; can be used for both good and bad things, not only wrongdoing.)
|
own up (Informal; similar meaning but more casual.)
Antonyms
deny (To say something is not true, especially when accused of wrongdoing.)
Collocations
confess a crime
|confess to the police
|confess to murder
|confess under pressure
Themes
law
|emotions
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He finally confessed to stealing the money.
- The suspect confessed his involvement in the robbery.
- Under questioning, she confessed to lying about her alibi.
- After hours of interrogation, the prisoner confessed everything.
- She confessed her role in the scheme to the authorities.
Learner examples
- He confessed to the police.
- She confessed that she took the bag.
- The man confessed his crime.
- They confessed to breaking the window.
Verb
B2
action
2
Admit personal feelings or thoughts
To tell someone about a feeling you have, even if it is private.
Usage pattern:
to confess [feeling/thought] to [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'confess' for neutral statements; it usually implies vulnerability or privacy.
Synonyms
reveal (More general; can refer to any kind of information.)
|
disclose (More formal; often used for sensitive information.)
Antonyms
conceal (To keep something secret or hidden.)
Collocations
confess love
|confess feelings
|confess a secret
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He confessed his love for her after years of friendship.
- I must confess I was nervous before the interview.
- She confessed that she had always wanted to travel alone.
- He finally confessed his true feelings about the project.
Learner examples
- I confessed my love to her.
- She confessed that she was afraid.
- He confessed his dream to be a singer.
Verb
formal
B2
action
3
Admit sins in religion
To tell a priest about your sins so you can be forgiven.
Usage pattern:
to confess [sins] to [priest/God]
Synonyms
absolve oneself (Less common; refers to seeking forgiveness, not the act of telling.)
Antonyms
hide sins (To avoid admitting sins in a religious context.)
Collocations
confess sins
|confess to a priest
|confess before God
Themes
religion
|communication
Examples
- Catholics are encouraged to confess their sins regularly.
- He confessed to the priest during Mass.
- She went to church to confess before Easter.
Learner examples
- I confessed my sins to the priest.
- He went to church to confess.
- She confessed before God.
Grammar
Dictionary form
confess
IPA
GB/kənfˈɛs/
US/kənfˈɛs/
Syllables & stress
con - fess (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (fess)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: confess
- 3rd Person Singular: confesses
- Present Participle: confessing
- Past: confessed
Word family
Forms
confesses
verb
confessing
verb
confessed
verb
Core family
confession
noun B1
Related words
confessional
adjective
confessor
noun
Negative and opposite forms
deny
verb B1
Expressions
confess one's love
1/kənfˈɛs wˈʌnz lˈʌv/
fixed phrase
Tell someone you love them
To tell someone that you love them.
Examples
- He finally confessed his love for her after months of hesitation.
- She decided it was time to confess her love.
confess to something
1/kənfˈɛs tə sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Admit doing something specific
To say that you did a certain thing, often something wrong.
Examples
- The suspect confessed to the crime during questioning.
- She confessed to cheating on the test.
I must confess
1/ˈaɪ mˈʌst kənfˈɛs/
fixed phrase
Admit before making a statement
Used before saying something personal or embarrassing.
Examples
- I must confess, I don't really like chocolate.
- I must confess I haven't read that book.