as in renounces
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recants
Verb
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The first follows the Rajput king Ratansen of Chitor (a fortress in what is now Chittorgarh, Rajasthan), who renounces his throne and travels as a yogi (wandering ascetic) to the island kingdom of Simhal to win the legendary Padmavati.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026 -
Its constitution renounces the right to wage war as a means of settling such disputes.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The wheels glide smoothly and quietly, and the telescopic handle extends and retracts seamlessly—even when the case is fully packed.—
Charley Ward,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
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The boom microphone is a capsule on a flexible wire arm that retracts into the cup.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Each retiree withdraws $50,000 per year.—
Doug Ashburn,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
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Tax lien changes Fresh Start also introduced changes to how and when the IRS files and withdraws tax liens, and to the dollar amounts that trigger the issuance of a lien.—
Deane Biermeier,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Husband of missing Michigan woman arrested in Bahamas; his attorney says Brian Hooker categorically denies wrongdoing in her disappearance.—
R.j. Rico,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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Nine grandmothers, all in their nineties, staring down death without justice as a far-right Japanese government denies their history.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Voters will thus be asked to hand the human writers of the show nominations in a manner that contradicts of the very thesis of the show (or at least the show within a show).—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
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This contradicts a popular narrative that suggests tattoos will become unsightly as one ages.—
Panashe Matemba-Mutasa,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Recants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recants. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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