confession

noun

kuhn-FESH-uhn/kənˈfɛʃən/

6 meanings of confession

1
nouncountable
When you openly admit that you did something, often something wrong.
Like owning up to breaking the vase before anyone asks who did it.
After hours of questioning, he finally made a full confession.
Her confession that she had broken the vase came as a relief.
Similaradmission, acknowledgment, disclosure, avowal
Oppositedenial, disavowal, concealment
Note
2
nouncountable or uncountable
Telling your sins to a priest so that they can be forgiven.
Like telling a trusted person about a mistake so you can feel forgiven.
She went to confession every Saturday afternoon.
He felt lighter walking out of confession.
Similarpenance, reconciliation
Note
3
nouncountable
A written paper in which someone admits they did something wrong.
The police asked him to read and sign a confession.
Her confession was read aloud to the whole courtroom.
Similarstatement, admission
4
nouncountable
An open statement that you believe in something, especially your religion.
Her public confession of faith moved the whole congregation.
He made a bold confession of what he believed.
Similarprofession, declaration, affirmation, avowal, testimony
Oppositedenial, renunciation, recantation, apostasy
Note
5
nouncountable
A set of beliefs written down that members of a church agree to.
Like a club's rulebook you agree to follow before you can join.
New members study the church's confession before joining.
The confession lists the main beliefs of the faith.
Similarcreed, credo, statement
6
nouncountable
The act of telling someone that you love them.
In the anime, Yuki finally makes her confession to Haru under the cherry trees, and he says he likes her too.
He practiced his confession all week, then told her he had loved her since the first day of school.
Similardeclaration, avowal, profession, admission
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin cōnfessiō, meaning a confession or acknowledgment, which came into English through Old French and Middle English.