Own up to: meaning, definitions and examples
🙈
own up to
[ əʊn ʌp tuː ]
confess mistake
Admit or acknowledge something, especially something embarrassing or inconvenient.
Synonyms
acknowledge, admit, come clean, confess.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| own up to |
Used when someone takes responsibility for something they have done, often after trying to avoid it.
|
| confess |
Used primarily in contexts involving a formal declaration of guilt, often related to wrongdoing or crimes. Has a strong implication of guilt or regret.
|
| acknowledge |
Used to recognize or accept the truth or existence of something, often in a formal or polite way.
|
| admit |
Used when someone agrees that something is true, especially something bad or embarrassing.
|
| come clean |
Used in more informal situations to address confessing fully and truthfully about something, often after trying to hide it.
|
Examples of usage
- He finally owned up to eating the last piece of cake.
- She owned up to her mistake and apologized to her boss.
- Don't be afraid to own up to your errors, everyone makes mistakes.
- I wish he would just own up to what he did and stop lying about it.
- It's important to own up to your actions and take responsibility for them.
Translations
Translations of the word "own up to" in other languages:
🇵🇹 admitir
🇮🇳 स्वीकार करना
🇩🇪 zugeben
🇮🇩 mengakui
🇺🇦 визнати
🇵🇱 przyznać się
🇯🇵 認める (みとめる)
🇫🇷 admettre
🇪🇸 admitir
🇹🇷 kabul etmek
🇰🇷 인정하다
🇸🇦 اعترف
🇨🇿 přiznat
🇸🇰 priznať
🇨🇳 承认 (chéngrèn)
🇸🇮 priznati
🇮🇸 viðurkenna
🇰🇿 мойындау
🇬🇪 აღიარება
🇦🇿 etiraf etmək
🇲🇽 admitir
Etymology
The expression 'own up to' originated in the late 19th century and is a combination of the words 'own' and 'up'. It gained popularity as a way to encourage honesty and accountability by admitting to mistakes or faults. Over time, it has become a commonly used phrasal verb in informal conversations and formal contexts alike.