as in retracting
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 recanting
In 1999, four suspects were arrested, with two suspects confessing but later recanting, police said.
—
Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2025
Lunsford ended up recanting his statement when questioned again, this time by a district attorney’s investigator.
—Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
However, in a 2024 court filing known as a coram nobis petition, Zachary Adams revealed Autry was recanting his testimony and asked for a new trial.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2025
Lunsford ended up recanting his statement when questioned again, this time by a district attorney’s investigator.
—Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
However, in a 2024 court filing known as a coram nobis petition, Zachary Adams revealed Autry was recanting his testimony and asked for a new trial.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recanting
Verb
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The peer filed a complaint against him before retracting it.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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Moreover, the patches of skin behind the upper arms and on the trunk reveal that the reptile had powerful muscles for retracting its forelimbs.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After suffering a major setback in March by losing the capital of Khartoum, the RSF regained the initiative in the following months, culminating in the SAF withdrawing from its last stronghold in western Sudan, El Fasher, leaving it at the RSF’s mercy.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Oct. 2025
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The 3rd Battalion is undergoing modernization that includes refining tactics such as seizing key terrain for the rapid insertion and deployment of HIMARS launchers for strike missions, then withdrawing to a secure location.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The revelations about the emails led to both Andrew and Sarah renouncing their Duke and Duchess of York titles in the past two weeks.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
28 Oct. 2025
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Tallis continued to have a successful career after the Reformation, despite never renouncing his Catholic faith.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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According to the woman, her parents’ reasoning for denying her requests was rooted in a harsh lesson about independence.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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The company has also filed a countersuit denying allegations of wrongdoing, while claiming over $116 million in damages and lost profits.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Their findings suggest that broader protection against elapid snakebites using fewer ingredients is on the horizon, contradicting the popular theory that the best antivenoms require large (and costly) amounts of antibodies.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
29 Oct. 2025
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The allegation is that Comey authorized Richman to speak to the press anonymously, contradicting his testimony.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Recanting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recanting. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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