Confession — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /kən-ˈfe-shən/ con·fes·sion

Meaning & Definition of Confession

Confession (noun)

  1. an act of confessing; especially, a disclosure of one's sins in the sacrament of reconciliation
  2. a session for the confessing of sins
  3. a statement of what is confessed

Confession (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an open declaration of something (as a fault or the commission of an offense) about oneself

    "a confession that he had been lying all along"

    similar: acknowledgment, admission, avowal, concession, self-confession
    related: self-accusation, self-betrayal, self-revelation, self-incrimination, self-recrimination, self-reproach, affirmation, assertion, avouchment, claim, confirmation, declaration, insistence, profession, allowance, apology, hand-wringing, betrayal, disclosure, divulgence, giveaway, revelation, announcement, proclamation, pronouncement, blame, fault, responsibility, contriteness, contrition, penitence, regret, remorse, remorsefulness, repentance, rue
    opposite: disavowal, nonadmission
    near: denial, disallowance, disclaimer, recantation, rejection, renouncement, repudiation

Related Entry: Self-confession (noun)

Self-confession is a different word from Confession. The synonyms below are for self-confession, not for confession.

  1. an open declaration of something (as a fault or the commission of an offense) about oneself

    "by his own self-confession, he cravenly betrayed his best friend"

    similar: acknowledgment, admission, avowal, concession, confession
    related: self-accusation, self-betrayal, self-revelation, self-incrimination, self-recrimination, self-reproach, affirmation, assertion, avouchment, claim, confirmation, declaration, insistence, profession, allowance, apology, hand-wringing, betrayal, disclosure, divulgence, giveaway, revelation, announcement, proclamation, pronouncement, blame, fault, responsibility, contriteness, contrition, penitence, regret, remorse, remorsefulness, repentance, rue
    opposite: disavowal, nonadmission
    near: denial, disallowance, disclaimer, recantation, rejection, renouncement, repudiation

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Confession

The most common words with a similar meaning to Confession:

acknowledgment, admission, avowal, concession, self-confession

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Confession

Words with the opposite meaning of Confession:

disavowal, nonadmission

Related Words for Confession

self-accusation, self-betrayal, self-revelation, self-incrimination, self-recrimination, self-reproach, affirmation, assertion, avouchment, claim, confirmation, declaration, insistence, profession, allowance, apology, hand-wringing, betrayal, disclosure, divulgence, giveaway, revelation, announcement, proclamation, pronouncement, blame, fault, responsibility, contriteness, contrition

Near Antonyms of Confession

denial, disallowance, disclaimer, recantation, rejection, renouncement, repudiation

Origin & Etymology of Confession

Middle English confessioun, borrowed from Anglo-French confession, borrowed from Latin confessiōn-, confessiō, from confiteor, confitērī "to admit (a fact, the truth of a statement or charge)" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action confess

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Confession

Words & Phrases Containing Confession

self-confession

Frequently Asked Questions about Confession

What does "Confession" mean?

"Confession" means an act of confessing; especially, a disclosure of one's sins in the sacrament of reconciliation. As a noun, it is defined as: an act of confessing; especially, a disclosure of one's sins in the sacrament of reconciliation.

What is another word for "Confession"?

Other words for "Confession" include acknowledgment, admission, avowal, concession and self-confession. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Confession" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Confession"?

There are 41 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Confession". Common alternatives include acknowledgment, admission, avowal, concession and self-confession.

What is the opposite of "Confession"?

Antonyms of "Confession" include disavowal and nonadmission. Near antonyms include denial, disallowance, disclaimer and recantation.

How do you use "Confession" in a sentence?

Examples of "Confession" in a sentence: "a confession that he had been lying all along".

Is "Confession" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Confession" is a noun.

Is "Confession" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Confession" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Confession"?

"Confession" is pronounced /kən-ˈfe-shən/ and divided into syllables as con·fes·sion.