as in to retract
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)
the witness tried to unsay the very testimony that he had given a few days earlier
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Recent Examples of unsay
But left unsaid was one significant potential drawback.
—
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
What’s left unsaid by those Republicans now questioning Israel’s conduct, though, is the extent to which Trump has exacerbated conditions on the ground for Gaza’s civilians.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 31 July 2025
And although it is mostly left unsaid, Clark’s kindness and values come from how he was raised — by loving parents in America’s heartland.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Of course, unsaid in all this is the fact that taking your shoes off at the airport never made anyone safer, and that other airports around the world — even those with much tougher security overall — have not required this for a very long time, if ever.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsay
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
What’s left unsaid by those Republicans now questioning Israel’s conduct, though, is the extent to which Trump has exacerbated conditions on the ground for Gaza’s civilians.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 31 July 2025
And although it is mostly left unsaid, Clark’s kindness and values come from how he was raised — by loving parents in America’s heartland.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Of course, unsaid in all this is the fact that taking your shoes off at the airport never made anyone safer, and that other airports around the world — even those with much tougher security overall — have not required this for a very long time, if ever.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsay
Verb
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The prominent medical publisher BMJ Group has retracted a study that found apple cider vinegar could help people achieve dramatic weight loss.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
5 Oct. 2025
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Its active rear wing, for example, remains fully retracted when on a straightaway, reducing drag and maximizing acceleration.—
Stephen Treffinger,
Robb Report,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ryan Yates, who had been a destructive figure in midfield, was subsequently withdrawn amid three attacking changes, which saw Callum Hudson-Odoi, Omari Hutchinson and Igor Jesus introduced, giving Forest more threat, but also allowing Newcastle more openings.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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After President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection campaign yesterday, the endorsements have been rolling in for Vice President Kamala Harris to be selected as the Democratic nominee for the upcoming election.—
Anna Tingley,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The term describes the conscious decision to avoid or renounce managerial roles in order to preserve mental health, maintain balance and prioritize meaningful work.—
Jose Luis Gonzalez Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Advertisement Lee also renounced any concept of gender roles, longing for full social equality regardless of gender or race.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Republicans argue Democrats want to fund health care for immigrants in the country illegally, a claim Democrats deny.—
Todd Spangler,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Once there, she was assigned a bare mattress on the floor and denied religious accommodations, including Halal meals, her lawyers said.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The plan also contradicts the Prime Minister’s frequent claims that the Palestinian Authority will have no role in a postwar Gaza.—
Ruth Margalit,
New Yorker,
4 Oct. 2025
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Why economists are still waiting on government data Sometimes non-government reports contradict one another, which makes the absence of BLS data a challenge, Flynn said.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unsay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsay. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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