recanted; recanting; recants
: to make an open confession of error
Examples of recant in a Sentence
Church officials asked the minister to recant. Witnesses threatened to recant their testimony when the court released their names to the paper.
Recent Examples on the Web
Citing such evidence, The New York Times editorial board recently recanted some of its earlier support for legalization. —
William Garriott, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026 Art by tenants past and present covers the hallway walls, and the staff will recant the building’s ghost stories without demur. —Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Mar. 2026 Police said initially there was a report of shots fired, but a minor recanted that statement to officers. —Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026 Attorney Warren Lupel, who represented Gary Dotson, a Chicago-area man who went to prison after being convicted of rape and kidnapping but was freed after the woman who accused him of those crimes recanted her testimony, has died. —Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recant
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
William Garriott, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026 Art by tenants past and present covers the hallway walls, and the staff will recant the building’s ghost stories without demur. —Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Mar. 2026 Police said initially there was a report of shots fired, but a minor recanted that statement to officers. —Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026 Attorney Warren Lupel, who represented Gary Dotson, a Chicago-area man who went to prison after being convicted of rape and kidnapping but was freed after the woman who accused him of those crimes recanted her testimony, has died. —Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recant
Cite this Entry
“Recant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/recant. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
recant
transitive verb
re·cant ri-ˈkant 
: to renounce or withdraw (prior statements or testimony)
surprised the prosecution by recanting statements made earlier to the police
: to renounce or withdraw prior statements or testimony
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