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
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
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
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
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
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
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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Even as her hard-line tactics have shown some success, Sheinbaum has not renounced the precepts of López Obrador, who, while retired, remains a revered and influential figure.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
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Gaetano Milano, a sharpshooting young gangster who renounced the mafia and experienced a religious rebirth after gunning down one of New England’s most ruthless mob bosses, died early this week.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His son withdrew from high school.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Following the caller's instructions, the victim withdrew cash from her bank account and deposited it via several Bitcoin ATM transactions.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 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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Ukrainian officials have denied the accusations, saying the pipeline, which feeds refineries in Hungary and Slovakia, was hit in a Russian drone attack.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
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Iran denied firing a missile at Turkey but has not responded to drones targeting the British base in Cyprus.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 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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Subsequent videos of the shootings contradicted those claims.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2026
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Within hours of their deaths, Noem publicly accused both of engaging in acts of domestic terrorism — claims later contradicted by video evidence.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
3 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 10 Mar. 2026.
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