Definition

Phrasal Verb: - To confess or admit to something, especially a mistake, fault, or wrongdoing: "own up" means to take responsibility by stating that you are the one who did something wrong or made an error.

Usage

This phrasal verb is used when someone voluntarily or after pressure admits their guilt or responsibility for an action. It is often followed by the preposition "to" and the specific act. - It is typically used in informal or semi-formal contexts. - It implies a degree of courage or honesty in admitting fault.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "own up to something": This is the most common structure, specifying the fault or action being admitted.
  • She owned up to her role in the misunderstanding.
• "own up to it": Used when the specific fault is already understood from the context.
  • The evidence was clear, so he had to own up to it.

Variants and Related Words

• Confess (verb): To admit that you have committed a crime or done something wrong. This is a more formal synonym.
• Admit (verb): To agree, often unwillingly, that something is true. This is a broader term.
• Come clean (phrasal verb, informal): To tell the truth about something you have been hiding. Very similar in meaning to "own up."

Synonyms

• Confess
• Admit
• Fess up (informal)
• Come clean (informal)

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Fess up (informal): To confess. This is a very close synonym to "own up."
  • You need to fess up about what happened.
• Face up to: To accept and deal with something unpleasant. While related, it focuses more on dealing with consequences than the initial admission.
  • He must face up to his responsibilities.

Related Idioms

• 'Fess up: An informal, shortened version of "confess up," used identically to "own up."
  • Come on, just 'fess up. We know it was you.

Verb

1. admit or acknowledge a wrongdoing or error
   • the writer of the anonymous letter owned up after they identified his handwriting