Confessional is an adjective describing something that reveals personal, private, or intimate information, often things someone might feel embarrassed or vulnerable sharing. When a writer creates a confessional memoir, she shares honest details about her mistakes, fears, or struggles that most people keep private. A confessional poem might reveal the poet's deepest doubts or regrets.

Think of the difference between saying “I had a good summer” and “I spent most of the summer feeling lonely and worried I didn't have enough friends.” The second statement is confessional because it reveals something personal and potentially uncomfortable.

Confessional writing or speech feels honest and unguarded, like someone has decided to stop pretending everything is perfect. A student might write a confessional essay about struggling with math anxiety instead of just describing how to solve equations. The word suggests courage and honesty, but also exposure: when you're being confessional, you're taking a risk by showing others who you really are.

The word can also be a noun referring to the small booth in some churches where people privately tell a priest about their wrongdoings, but the adjective form is more common in everyday conversation.