fessing up
Admitting the truth
Fessing up is confessing or admitting to something, especially something you've been reluctant to reveal: After days of denial, he finally fessed up to breaking the window.
The phrase comes from confess, with the casual tone suggesting minor wrongdoing or embarrassing truths rather than serious crimes.
- coming cleanAdmitting wrongdoing honestly
- divulgenceAct of making known
- acknowledgmentConfirmation of receipt
- spilling the beansDisclosing confidential information
- truthfulnessHabit of not lying
owning up · telling the truth · avowal · culpability · responsibility · mea culpa · sincerity · liability · candor · disclosure · laying cards on the table · ownership · admission · answerability · facing the music · declaration · forthrightness · revelation
- admitting thingsacknowledging, conceding, owning up, disclosing, revealing
- atonementpropitiation, substitution, reconciler, forgiveness, sin offering
fessing updenial
Refusal to accept reality
denying · lying · covering up · concealing · hiding
fessing upblaming others
Assigning fault elsewhere
passing the buck · deflecting · scapegoating · finger-pointing · making excuses
fess, fess up, fessed, fessing, confess, confessed, confessing, confession, confessions