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
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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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
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China views Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to take the island under its control.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The streaming giant’s stock price doesn’t yet reflect it, but analysts’ uniformly positive reaction is perhaps the biggest vote of confidence by the Street since Netflix last month withdrew its proposal to acquire Warner Bros.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
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The wars in Iran and Ukraine will be top of the agenda, while South Africa, which was supposed to attend as an observing nation, says France withdrew its G7 invitation after the US threatened to boycott.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
27 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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The army has denied targeting the medical facility, which is in an area controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
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After asking him to model courage, and to be the container of everyone’s hope—and after so many of Rozos’s peers loudly cheered him on—NYU denied Rozos their diploma.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 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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Iranian state media, however, contradicted the president's account of conversations, saying that Washington and Tehran have not held direct or indirect talks.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
23 Mar. 2026
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Taylor told The Bee last summer that his 30-year track record as a coach contradicted claims of bullying behavior.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
20 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 31 Mar. 2026.
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