recanted 1 of 2

adjective

as in retracted

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recanted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of recant
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
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
In addition, investigators working for Duncan’s legal team interviewed a jailhouse informant who recanted his earlier trial testimony that Duncan had confessed to the crime. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 29 June 2026 At least three people were arrested and police said at least four others have recanted. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 17 June 2026 But that witness also recanted when prosecutors showed him the video of what happened. — J.d. Miles, CBS News, 8 June 2026 Others have recanted and said police coerced them into implicating Washington and Simms. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026 However, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office ultimately dropped charges against Santana after the 17-year-old accuser recanted his statements to prosecutors, television interviewers and on social media, according to court records. — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 14 May 2026 The conviction turned largely on eyewitness testimony that has since been recanted and scientific evidence that has since been debunked. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026 Bourgerie noted that Ball’s wife later recanted her allegations and that Ball had been named deputy of the year for the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office in 2025. — Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 8 May 2026 Epstein told a guard Tartaglione had attacked him, but later recanted. — ABC News, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recanted
  1. retracted
  2. renounced
  3. withheld
  4. withdrew
  5. suppressed
  6. denied
  7. repressed
  8. contradicted
Adjective
  • Notably, 90% of 190 sick individuals in the current case reported eating iceberg lettuce, a robust epidemiological link independent of the retracted test.
    — Lisa Fitzpatrick, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • On April 22, 2026, Springer Nature posted a retracted article notice almost a year after initial publication.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 4 May 2026
Definition of retracted
Verb
  • In 2021, Princess Mako, the niece of the emperor and eldest child of Crown Prince Ashikino and Crown Princess Kiko, renounced her royal titles and left the imperial family in order to marry her college sweetheart, Kei Komuro.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
  • What follows are dozens of examples of how those whose names are familiar (or aren’t) and legendary (or infamous) for their actions while representing the state have been embraced (or renounced) by the rest of the country and beyond.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of renounced
Adjective
  • The withheld funding supports election monitoring, independent media and other pro-democracy programs abroad.
    — Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
Definition of withheld
Verb
  • In April of this year, global energy company AES withdrew plans to build a large battery storage facility in Eden Valley after residents loudly opposed the project, due to potential fire risk.
    — Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026
  • The United States formally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in May 2018, several months after Tahbaz’s arrest.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of withdrew
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of suppressed
Verb
  • This is the franchise that dealt the Wave their worst loss of all, the 1-0 semifinals defeat in San Diego that denied Casey Stoney‘s club, which looked weirdly tentative for long stretches, a 2023 NWSL finals berth at Snapdragon Stadium.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026
  • The case was ultimately dismissed and Levine has denied sending the messages.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
Definition of denied
Adjective
  • The second, now promoted by a zillion MAGA podcasts, is a postapocalyptic hellscape of sclerotic socialism, repressed speech, and rampaging Muslims.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
  • The film is said to follow a repressed philosophy professor who has been grappling with lingering guilt over a decision from his past when the victim suddenly returns to his life.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 23 July 2026
Definition of repressed
Verb
  • That's the real story, not that a left-wing discredited expert disliked a Republican president who contradicted him.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
  • Piotr Müller, a European Parliament lawmaker for Law and Justice and Morawiecki supporter, contradicted the party leadership.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026
Definition of contradicted

Browse Nearby Words

recantations
recanted
recanting
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Cite this Entry

“Recanted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recanted. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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