as in retracted
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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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Recent Examples of recanted
Jean Casarez, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
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
In a 400-page report, the board said that two men who provided key testimony that led to Pippitt's conviction recanted their stories.
—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
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
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
In a 400-page report, the board said that two men who provided key testimony that led to Pippitt's conviction recanted their stories.
—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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recanted
Adjective
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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
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Here’s how the situation unfolded and why the since-retracted comment was so controversial.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Born rich, yet sought a life of poverty Born into a merchant family in the Umbrian town of Assisi, in present-day Italy, around 1181, Francis famously renounced his family’s wealth.—
Vanessa Corcoran,
The Conversation,
2 Feb. 2026
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Through the request, Franyelis renounced her claim to seek asylum in the United States and asked Reingold to let her self-deport.—
Maeva Bambuck,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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China has invested little in Russia’s economy, and nowhere near the amount that the West withdrew after Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.—
Alan Cullison,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
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After the candidates’ names were leaked to WBEZ/Sun-Times and Chalkbeat, the process effectively ground to a halt and one of them withdrew his name.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 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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The Board of Directors denied Buchanan's reappointment to a full five-year term last October.—
Joseph Flaherty,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
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Hubbard denied the students' accusations.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Letting muscles weaken suppressed genes involved in mitochondrial function and energy production in particular, including genes that are essential for muscle endurance and recovery.—
Bonnie Tsui,
The Atlantic,
14 Jan. 2026
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Too long submerged in suppressed grief, Zilpha now came up from its depth like any swimmer stroking toward light and sweet air.—
Annie Proulx,
New Yorker,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Every possible explanation that isn’t ruled out or contradicted by the already-existing data should be considered, and each hypothesis should be tested and examined as rigorously as possible.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Feb. 2026
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In defense of California’s new map, the state’s attorneys told the court the GOP claims defied the public’s understanding of the mid-decade redistricting and contradicted the facts regarding the racial and ethnic makeup of the districts.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Walters and her lawyers had argued that repressed memories delayed the filing.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
27 Jan. 2026
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The more involved Jana becomes, the more she is forced to confront her past and her repressed memories.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Recanted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recanted. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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