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
The uncomfortable reality is that influence rarely goes to the best idea left unsaid.
—
Harrison Monarth, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Advertisement Also left unsaid: the true drain on the economy this fighting has unleashed.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 2 Apr. 2026
Left unsaid: The move let City Hall bring in more firepower to fight claims that could be politically embarrassing to people then in power, including Mayor Richard M. Daley, who had been accused of turning a blind eye to the abuse.
—Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
If nothing else, just to make sure there’s nothing unsaid and everyone can happily move on.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsay
Harrison Monarth, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Advertisement Also left unsaid: the true drain on the economy this fighting has unleashed.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 2 Apr. 2026
Left unsaid: The move let City Hall bring in more firepower to fight claims that could be politically embarrassing to people then in power, including Mayor Richard M. Daley, who had been accused of turning a blind eye to the abuse.
—Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
If nothing else, just to make sure there’s nothing unsaid and everyone can happily move on.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsay
Verb
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In the Somewhere musical, the ladders retract, steam comes out of the grates, and there are wooden floors.—
Brian Sherrod,
CBS News,
7 May 2026
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Although the chapter had been peer reviewed and approved by the Federal Judicial Center, as well as by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the center retracted the climate chapter in February.—
Abrahm Lustgarten,
ProPublica,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The rush to renounce Chavez also happened in other states.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
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The program calls for the recognition of Israel and renouncing armed struggle, effectively sidelining Hamas and other factions.—
SAM METZ,
Arkansas Online,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His is a more enlightened era, but Hannes, lonely and withdrawn, doesn’t share his classmates’ interest in campus sit-ins and free love.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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Days after four Republican candidates withdrew from the upcoming Platte County election and launched independent campaigns, the county’s Republican committee announced plans to censure those candidates and deem them unwelcome within the party.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The Killingworth Fair Rent Commission denied a request from Sun Communities, a national firm, to increase monthly land rents at a mobile home park by $27 a month.—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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But Rubio said if use of the bases is going to be denied, as Spain did for the Iran war, then the United States would have to reconsider its support for NATO.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The affidavit stated that his version of events was contradicted by forensic evidence, per the outlets.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
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The court filing also contradicted the government's previous statements on processing time.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsay. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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