as in retracted
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of recanted
Jean Casarez, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Attorney Warren Lupel, who represented Gary Dotson, a Chicago-area man who went to prison after being convicted of rape and kidnapping but was freed after the woman who accused him of those crimes recanted her testimony, has died.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
The first, who had lived in his Washington townhouse, later recanted her accusations.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
One has since recanted An Indianapolis detective said in court documents that a tipster told police Turner robbed the bank.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 26 Jan. 2026
Walker signed a confession but almost immediately recanted.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Walker later recanted his confession, according to the Innocence Project.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2026
Vessel sued, and in mid-December the town recanted by authorizing a four-story, 71-unit version.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 21 Jan. 2026
However, when Sarah's third husband learned of the plot from another daughter and called the FBI, David recanted his confession.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
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.
—Jean Casarez, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
Police said initially there was a report of shots fired, but a minor recanted that statement to officers.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Attorney Warren Lupel, who represented Gary Dotson, a Chicago-area man who went to prison after being convicted of rape and kidnapping but was freed after the woman who accused him of those crimes recanted her testimony, has died.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
The first, who had lived in his Washington townhouse, later recanted her accusations.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
One has since recanted An Indianapolis detective said in court documents that a tipster told police Turner robbed the bank.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 26 Jan. 2026
Walker signed a confession but almost immediately recanted.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Walker later recanted his confession, according to the Innocence Project.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2026
Vessel sued, and in mid-December the town recanted by authorizing a four-story, 71-unit version.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 21 Jan. 2026
However, when Sarah's third husband learned of the plot from another daughter and called the FBI, David recanted his confession.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recanted
Adjective
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In a demo at CES 2026, Bluetooth SIG marketing VP Dave Hollander set an unlock distance on a phone across the room from a Bauer smart lock—then walked within 2 feet of the lock, leading its deadbolt to whir into the retracted position.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
19 Mar. 2026
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The three presenters on the hepatitis B vaccine were not vaccine scientists, and two had authored a retracted paper about autism.—
Dr. Debra Houry,
Time,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Should the chain of citizenship break somewhere along the line, however, where an ancestor renounced their citizenship, rights to Canadian citizenship end there.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
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The German Jews were the founders of American Reform Judaism, which renounced dietary laws, bar mitzvahs, and Zionism.—
Adam Kirsch,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the face of growing opposition generated in part by allegations of his misconduct, Gaetz withdrew.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
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In the south, Lebanese Army tanks withdrew as Israeli ones rolled in.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The withheld funding supports election monitoring, independent media and other pro-democracy programs abroad.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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During a court hearing Wednesday morning, Davis' attorney, Simon Steckel, filed a motion to dismiss, which the judge denied.—
Bri Buckley,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Hernandez denied any knowledge or responsibility for what went on at the house.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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General Manager Ken Holland hinted at potentially being done after trading center Phillip Danault for a draft pick in December and acquiring Panarin at a suppressed price in February, though he has been known to under-promise often and, sometimes, over-deliver.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Supervising sound editor Alastair Sirkett told IndieWire that Peter Claffey’s big, former-rugby-player frame really helps that moment sing with suppressed panic.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The defense attorneys sought to show that testimony from officers on scene that day contradicted their own body camera footage.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Being contradicted by the facts can produce diverse reactions.—
Deana L. Weibel,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Tel Aviv, Israel — Undermining this moment of relief for many repressed Iranians is that killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a perilously simple fix to a very complex problem.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
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And that probably comes from seeing women in my life who have been so repressed that the eyes become their only real means of communication.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Recanted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recanted. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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