own up

verb

owned up; owning up; owns up

intransitive verb

: to admit to being responsible for something
denied having broken the window, but later owned up
usually used with to
They owned up to having broken the window.

Examples of own up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Saxon tries to confront him about what’s been going on – the question of the hour for seven straight episodes – and Tim still can’t own up to anything and tell any of his family even part of the truth. Dan Heching, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025 In Palm Beach County, home to the president, some people expressed disappointment over the leak and felt Trump should own up to the mistake. Adriana Gomez Licon, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025 However, Chamblee did have to own up to making a mistake on a previous post of his regarding LIV Golf's viewership. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025 After Knicks practice in San Francisco on Friday, Josh Hart stood up for his teammate, saying Draymond should have owned up to his mistake with a more genuine apology. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for own up

Word History

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of own up was in 1844

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Cite this Entry

“Own up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/own%20up. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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