- [countable, uncountable] a statement that a person makes, admitting that they are guilty of a crime; the act of making such a statement
- After hours of questioning by police, she made a full confession.
- His confession was extracted under torture.
Extra ExamplesTopics Crime and punishmentc1- It's difficult to believe it's a true confession after all her lies.
- She made a false confession during the trial which she later retracted.
- The court excluded the confession wrongly obtained by the police.
- The police forced a confession out of him.
- a confession from the prisoner
- a confession to murder
- a true confession of a terrible crime
- an alleged confession by the defendant
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- full
- public
- true
- …
- make
- sign
- write
- …
- confession by
- confession from
- confession of
- …
- force a confession out of somebody
- get a confession out of somebody
- [countable, uncountable] a statement admitting something that you are ashamed or embarrassed about; the act of making such a statement synonym admission
- I've a confession to make—I lied about my age.
Extra ExamplesTopics Feelingsc1- I have a confession to make. I read your private emails.
- The government made open confession of its inability to cope with the crisis.
- her shy confession of love
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- full
- public
- true
- …
- make
- sign
- write
- …
- confession by
- confession from
- confession of
- …
- force a confession out of somebody
- get a confession out of somebody
- [uncountable, countable] (especially in the Roman Catholic Church) a private statement to a priest about the bad things that you have done; an occasion when you make such a statement
- The priest heard her confession and granted absolution.
- I used to go to confession every Saturday as a child.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + confession- go to
- hear
- booth
- box
- an act of confession
- [countable] (formal) a statement of your religious beliefs, principles, etc.
- a confession of faith
Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from Latin confessio(n-), from confiteri ‘acknowledge’, from con- (expressing intensive force) + fateri ‘declare, avow’.
Check pronunciation:
confession