From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishconfesscon‧fess /kənˈfes/ ●●○ verb [intransitive, transitive] 1 SCADMITto admit, especially to the police, that you have done something wrong or illegal → confessionconfess to (doing) something Edwards confessed to being a spy for the KGB. Occasionally people confess to crimes they haven’t committed just to get attention.confess (that) My husband confessed he’d been having an affair with a woman in his office. Torture was used and Fian confessed.► see thesaurus at admit2 ADMITto admit something that you feel embarrassed about → confessionconfess (that) Marsha confessed that she didn’t really know how to work the computer.confess to (doing) something He confessed to having a secret admiration for his opponent.I (have to/must) confess (=used when admitting something you feel slightly embarrassed about) I must confess I don’t visit my parents as often as I should.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say admit rather than confess:I know it was him – he admitted it.I admit I’m not very good with money.3 RRCADMITto tell a priest or God about the wrong things you have done so that you can be forgiven → confession He knelt and confessed his sin.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
confess• After two days of questioning, he finally confessed.• Woods was released from jail after the real murderers confessed.• Inducements were offered to the debtor to confess his insolvency and be frank in his discussion of assets.• However, I must confess that I do not find this to be a serious problem at least, not yet.• She confessed that she had killed her husband.• It isn't something you want to confess to another man.• When I confessed to Ellie she said she understood.• I have confessed to my elders as they have wished.• McCarthy confessed to the crime shortly after his arrest.• Crivello shuns salsa in a jar, but Wolhandler confesses to using it at home occasionally for a quick quesadilla.confess (that)• By Vanessa Feltz I do it, I confess.• Like conscientious believers everywhere they confess a wide range of sins of omission and commission.• Aburto confessed and was convicted of killing Colosio.• I should have confessed everything, as I do now, and appealed to your great generosity of spirit.• Mr Dawkins, the prison chaplain, did his best to persuade Linkworth to confess his crime.• I confess I did not see the sting in the tail coming.• I have confessed to my elders as they have wished.• I confess to remembering nothing and no one better than Kip, my parents and sister Bonnie Jean included.I (have to/must) confess• By Vanessa Feltz I do it, I confess.• I am rather shaken, I have to confess.• Oh, all right, I confess.• I will not go to Kent until I hear from you. I confess I am reluctant to go.• Good morning, Watson! I must confess I felt a trifle guilty about your lonely watch: nothing to report?• That, I must confess, is the bit I don't understand.• He asked me if I knew anything about ley lines and I confessed my ignorance.• As one of the few females sitting in the audience that day, I confess that I lived up to the stereotype.confessed ... sin• Then, naked and holding three scourges in his hands, he confessed his sins.• Immediately following mass, she confessed her sins and was baptized by the bishop.Origin confess (1300-1400) Old French confesser, from Latin confiteri “to confess”, from com- ( → COM-) + fateri “to confess” 