confessing
Revealing one's guilt
Confessing is admitting to something, usually something wrong or hidden.
A suspect confesses to a crime; a person confesses sins to a priest; someone confesses feelings they've kept secret: I have to confess, I never liked him.
The word implies reluctance overcome—you confess what you'd rather not reveal.
Confessing or granting entry
- acknowledgingAccepting as true
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- avowalOpen declaration of belief
divulgence · declaration · concession · unburdening · coming clean · owning up · fessing up · truth-telling
Violations of moral law
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- penitentOne showing remorse
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
priest · forgiveness · contrition · sacrament · booth · reconciliation · atonement · remorse
Moral self-reproach
- crimePunishable illegal act
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- faultImperfection or blame
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
responsibility · remorse · regret · accountability · culpability · misdeed · transgression · offense
admitting
Confessing or granting entry
- acknowledgingAccepting as true
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
avowal · divulgence · declaration · concession · unburdening · coming clean · owning up · fessing up · truth-telling · candor
sins
Violations of moral law
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- penitentOne showing remorse
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
penance · priest · forgiveness · contrition · sacrament · booth · reconciliation · atonement · remorse · guilt
guilt
Moral self-reproach
- crimePunishable illegal act
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- faultImperfection or blame
blame · responsibility · remorse · regret · accountability · culpability · misdeed · transgression · offense · apology
unburdening
Relieving oneself of weight
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- intimateClosely personal or private
- catharticEmotionally releasing, relieving
tearful · relief · release · secrets · trust · confiding · heartfelt · raw · opening up · pouring out
- apologizingadmitting fault, asking forgiveness, owning up, atoning
- admitting thingsacknowledging, conceding, owning up, disclosing, revealing
- taking responsibilityowning up, admitting fault, apologizing, accountability, making amends
- conversationlistening, talk, talking, chat, speaking
- expressionexpress, convey, communicate, verbal, nonverbal
- interactionstalking, sharing, greeting, helping, listening
confessingdenying
Refusing to acknowledge
disavowing · disclaiming · repudiating · recanting · disputing
confessingconcealing
Keeping something secret
hiding · covering up · suppressing · withholding · repressing
confessingevading
Skillfully keeping away from
lying · deflecting · dodging · shirking · sidestepping
- confession of faithDoctrinal belief statement
- deathbed confessionDisclosure made while dying
- confession boothEnclosed space for admitting sins
- false confessionUntrue guilt statement
- true confessions
- forced confessionStatement extracted under pressure