confession
confession — noun
1. a spoken or written statement in which a person admits to having done something
a spoken or written statement in which a person admits to having done something bad, especially a crime — for example, telling the police you stole a car, or telling your parents you lied to them.
Hassan made a full confession to the police after two hours of questioning.
collocation: make a confession / full confession
The detective read the suspect's written confession and noted every detail.
collocation: written confession
Ezra's confession that he had broken the window surprised everyone in the room.
The politician's public confession of corruption brought an end to his long career.
The suspect gave a false confession because the police had pressured him all night.
- admission
less formal than 'confession'; used for both wrongdoing and simply stating a fact ('an admission of guilt' vs 'an admission of defeat')
- acknowledgment
more formal; can imply reluctant acceptance of something rather than a voluntary statement
- disclosure
focuses on revealing hidden information, not necessarily about guilt or wrongdoing
- denial
a statement that something is not true or that you did not do something
用法筆記
Frequently appears in criminal law contexts. A confession can be oral or written; a written confession often carries more legal weight. The word is also used in everyday situations for admitting mistakes, not only crimes.
常見錯誤
2. in some Christian traditions, especially Catholicism, the practice of privately
in some Christian traditions, especially Catholicism, the practice of privately telling a priest of the wrong things you have done and receiving God's forgiveness through the priest's prayer.
Sana went to confession every Saturday evening before Sunday mass.
collocation: go to confession
Father Michael heard Yael's confession and gave her advice about forgiveness.
collocation: hear + confession (priest as subject)
After making his first confession, Andrei felt a sense of peace and relief.
There was a long queue outside the confession booth during the weeks before Easter.
- penance
the punishment or prayer given by the priest after confession, not the act of confessing itself
- absolution
the formal forgiveness granted by the priest, which follows confession
用法筆記
In Roman Catholic teaching, confession is a sacrament — a sacred ritual. The priest who 'hears confession' is bound to keep everything secret (the 'seal of the confessional'). This sense is most often uncountable ('go to confession'), but can be countable when referring to a specific event ('my first confession').
常見錯誤
3. words that openly express what a person or a church community believes about God
words that openly express what a person or a church community believes about God and matters of faith.
The old church still uses a confession of faith written in the sixteenth century.
phrase: confession of faith
Valentina wrote her personal confession of faith to read at the baptism ceremony.
phrase: personal confession of faith
Minho studied the church's confession to understand what its members believe.
Apinya read the Westminster Confession as part of her theology course at university.
- creed
a formal statement of religious beliefs, often used for historic Christian statements such as the Nicene Creed; 'creed' is more institutional, while 'confession' can be personal
- profession of faith
nearly identical meaning, slightly more formal and public
- belief system
broader term that covers any set of principles, not necessarily religious
用法筆記
This sense most often appears in set phrases like 'confession of faith' or 'confessional statement'. It is more formal and theological than the everyday sense of admitting wrongdoing. The word can refer to an individual's personal faith statement or to an official doctrinal document of a church.