Recanted Meaning and Examples

"Recanted" is a past tense verb that means to formally or publicly withdraw or retract a statement, belief, or confession that one has previously made, often because they no longer believe it to be true or accurate. It involves renouncing or disavowing something previously asserted.

For example, during a trial, a key witness initially testified against the defendant, but later, they recanted their statement, leading to a significant turn of events in the case. This means they formally took back their previous statement most likely in order to make a new statement.

"Recanted" can also be used as an adjective that describes something that has been formally withdrawn, as in a "recanted statement."

Example sentences

After intense pressure from the authorities, the witness recanted his earlier testimony.
The politician recanted his controversial statement, realizing its potential damage to his reputation.
The scientist recanted her hypothesis when new evidence contradicted it.
Under duress, he recanted his confession to the crime he didn't commit.
The witness finally decided to recant the false accusation, freeing the wrongly accused individual.
The defendant's lawyer argued that the confession had been recanted under coercion.
She recanted her support for the project after learning about its environmental impact.
The religious leader publicly recanted his heretical teachings and asked for forgiveness.
The journalist recanted the erroneous information published in the earlier edition of the newspaper.
In a surprising twist, the star witness recanted his testimony, leaving the courtroom in shock.

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