as in retracted
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in renounced
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)
the Inquisition forced Galileo to recant his support of the Copernican observation that the earth revolves around the sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of recanted
Jean Casarez, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Aki Nace, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Still, British Jews have every right to question their state’s extraordinary efforts to free someone who has called for violence against them and who has recanted only in the vaguest terms.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
After serving eight years in prison, Maher was released in 2007, per the New York Post, and recanted his confession given to the police.
—Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 21 Dec. 2025
Key witnesses in the case had recanted their testimony.
—Gary D. Robertson, Fortune, 19 Dec. 2025
The woman later recanted her allegations, and Mills firmly denied there was a physical altercation.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 19 Nov. 2025
Some accusers changed their minds and recanted.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
The man who created Steele dossier recanted it in February, and Comey kept using the document to get warrants.
—NBC news, 12 Oct. 2025
Dassey contradicted himself numerous times during the confession, and later recanted it entirely.
—Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The two who confessed – and later recanted – were convicted of capital murder and remained in prison until DNA evidence proving their innocence led to their release in 2009, prosecutors said.
—Verb
In a 400-page report, the board said that two men who provided key testimony that led to Pippitt's conviction recanted their stories.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for recanted
Adjective
-
The three presenters on the hepatitis B vaccine were not vaccine scientists, and two had authored a retracted paper about autism.—
-
Here’s how the situation unfolded and why the since-retracted comment was so controversial.—
Verb
-
O'Connor is not the only beauty queen who has renounced her title in recent months.—
-
Manny Diaz, mayor from 2001 to 2009, went on years later to be chairman of the Florida Democratic Party, but renounced his affiliation with the party prior to his first election.—
Verb
-
Former North Crowley standout Ka’Morreun Pimpton also withdrew his name from the portal Sunday.—
-
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) withdrew its troops last week following a deadline from Saudi Arabia.—
Adjective
-
The withheld funding supports election monitoring, independent media and other pro-democracy programs abroad.—
Verb
-
At the time, ICE had requested local officials hold him in jail, but that request was denied, the affidavit said.—
-
The agency that was set to investigate before being denied access to evidence and case materials is called the Force Investigations Unit of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, part of the Department of Public Safety.—
Adjective
-
In The Way to Colonos, the horror that emerges is more suppressed and internal than in the ancient texts.—
-
Too long submerged in suppressed grief, Zilpha now came up from its depth like any swimmer stroking toward light and sweet air.—
Verb
-
But a witness’ account contradicted Siebenaller’s statement.—
-
Those findings, published in 2020, contradicted the earlier hypothesis and raised doubts as to whether the species should be considered a hominin at all.—
Adjective
-
The more involved Jana becomes, the more she is forced to confront her past and her repressed memories.—
-
To me, Betsy is a repressed housewife who is trying to make it as a musician.—
Cite this Entry
“Recanted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recanted. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share