First Known Use: 1535
Dictionary
recant
verb re·cant \ri-ˈkant\
: to publicly say that you no longer have an opinion or belief that you once had
Full Definition of RECANT
transitive verb
1
: to withdraw or repudiate (a statement or belief) formally and publicly : renounce
2
: revoke
intransitive verb
: to make an open confession of error
— re·can·ta·tion \ˌrē-ˌkan-ˈtā-shən\ noun
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Origin of RECANT
Latin recantare, from re- + cantare to sing — more at chant
Related to RECANT
Synonym Discussion of RECANT
abjure, renounce, forswear, recant, retract mean to withdraw one's word or professed belief. abjure implies a firm rejecting or abandoning often made under oath <abjured the errors of his former faith>. renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown <renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting>. forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal <I cannot forswear my principles>. recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught <if they recant they will be spared>. retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation <the newspaper had to retract the story>.
Rhymes with RECANT
aslant, bacchant, bacchante, bezant, courante, decant, descant, displant, eggplant, enceinte, enchant, explant, extant, face-plant, fire ant, formant, gallant, Gallant, gas plant, grandaunt, houseplant, ice plant, implant, incant, jade plant, land grant, leadplant, levant, Levant, musk plant, pieplant, pissant, plainchant, pourpoint, preplant, red ant, replant, savant, seed plant, snow plant, supplant, transplant, white ant
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