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
My next feature will explore the emotional violence of silence against women – the things left unsaid, the complicity of those who look away.
—
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
The response of corporate America to those killings was instructive — both for what was said and left unsaid.
—Alessandro Piazza, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Instead, symbols, especially flowers, became powerful ways to communicate feelings that might otherwise go unsaid.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
After the release of their 2023 album Table for Two, the alternative pop-rock duo recognized that there were a lot of things left unsaid.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsay
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
The response of corporate America to those killings was instructive — both for what was said and left unsaid.
—Alessandro Piazza, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Instead, symbols, especially flowers, became powerful ways to communicate feelings that might otherwise go unsaid.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
After the release of their 2023 album Table for Two, the alternative pop-rock duo recognized that there were a lot of things left unsaid.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsay
Verb
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The emerging uproar could prove costly for Swalwell if his fundraising dries up, strangling his ability to run campaign ads, or if unions and other groups that endorsed his campaign begin to retract their decisions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Author Michael Wolff said last year that Epstein played a role in introducing the couple in a Daily Beast article that was later retracted.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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President Ahmed al-Sharaa is a one-time al-Qaeda commander who renounced the ideology before taking power.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The race’s queen has decided to renounce her throne … probably.—
Nicole Bennett,
AJC.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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World Liberty Financial borrowed so much USD1 from Dolomite that there is little left to borrow, meaning users who previously deposited the stablecoin on Dolomite may have trouble withdrawing, Vaiman said.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
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Spain has been one of Israel's staunchest critics, electing to withdraw its ambassador to the country last month in protest of its actions in the Middle East.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard denied launching attacks on Persian Gulf states after Kuwait's announcement.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The Democratic candidate for governor categorically denied inappropriate behavior with any congressional staff.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump’s decision to wage war against Iran directly contradicts the national security strategy his administration released in November 2025.—
Jeffrey Taliaferro,
The Conversation,
11 Apr. 2026
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Lying in this crypt is Nathan Lane’s Willy Loman, a tragic humbug, his delusions contradicted by the ruins around him.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsay. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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