Recant

English

Verb

Recant (third-person singular simple present Recants, present participle Recanting, simple past and past participle Recanted)

1. To withdraw from or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.

   Convince me that I am wrong, and I will recant.

Synonyms

• disavow
• retract
• take back
• unsay

Thesaurus

abandon, abjure, abolish, abrogate, annul, assert the contrary, back down, back out, backwater, belie, brush aside, cancel, cede, chuck, chuck out, climb down, contemn, contest, contradict, contravene, controvert, counter, countermand, counterorder, crawfish out, cross, decline, deny, despise, disaffirm, disallow, disannul, disapprove, disavow, discard, disclaim, discount, disdain, disgorge, dismiss, disown, dispense with, dispose of, disprove, dispute, disregard, do away with, do without, drop, dump, eat crow, eat humble pie, except, exclude, forgo, forsake, forswear, gainsay, get along without, get rid of, give away, give up, have done with, ignore, impugn, invalidate, join issue upon, kiss good-bye, make a sacrifice, make void, not accept, not admit, nullify, oppose, override, overrule, part with, pass by, pass up, push aside, quitclaim, rebuff, recall, refuse, refuse to admit, refuse to consider, refute, reject, relinquish, render up, renege, renounce, repeal, repel, repudiate, repulse, rescind, resign, retract, reverse, revoke, sacrifice, scout, set aside, shove away, spare, spurn, surrender, suspend, swallow, swear off, take back, take issue with, throw away, throw out, throw up, turn away, turn out, unsay, vacate, void, waive, withdraw, write off, yield

Etymology

First attested in 1535, from Latin recantare, present active infinitive of recanto (“to sing back, reecho, sing again, repeat in singing, recant, recall, revoke, charm back or away”), from re- (“back”) + canto (“to chant, to sing”), frequentative of cano.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /rəˈkænt/
• Rhymes: -ænt

Translations

to withdraw or repudiate formally and publicly

Czech: odvolat (cs) Dutch: intrekken (nl), terugtrekken (nl) Finnish: vetää takaisin (fi), peruuttaa (fi)

French: retirer (fr) Icelandic: taka aftur (is), draga til baka (is)

See also

• contradict
• recall
• revoke

Related terms

• recantation
• recanter

External links

• Recant in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• Recant in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• Recant at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• canter, carnet, centra, Cretan, nectar, trance