How to Use recant in a Sentence

recant

verb
  • Church officials asked the minister to recant.
  • Witnesses threatened to recant their testimony when the court released their names to the paper.
  • Galileo was placed under house arrest and forced to recant his views as heresy.
    — Adam B. Cohen, Scientific American, 1 July 2018
  • Some accusers changed their minds and recanted.
    — Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Some may recant out of fear, shame or a sense of loyalty to the foster parent.
    — Allie Morris, ExpressNews.com, 6 Mar. 2020
  • Charges were not pressed in that case after the woman recanted in a video recording.
    — Jamie Goldberg, OregonLive.com, 1 Nov. 2017
  • The charges against Beard were dropped when his fiance recanted her story.
    — Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2023
  • Reena later recanted the statement, and the teenager kept in touch with them.
    — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
  • Nothing is wrong with the witnesses, no one recanted or died.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Still, those same friends lament Pesina’s stubborn refusal to recant his falsehoods.
    — David L. Craddock, Ars Technica, 8 Oct. 2022
  • Ray later tried to recant his confession, claiming he was set up by a man named Raoul.
    — Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 22 July 2025
  • In the months leading up to trial, two of Noor’s victims recanted.
    — Aimee Green, OregonLive.com, 19 Feb. 2018
  • But Forrester later recanted, and failed polygraph tests — and no charges were filed.
    — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Instead, the defectors are expected to recant all of their views.
    — Jane Coaston, Vox, 15 Nov. 2018
  • At least three people were arrested and police said at least four others have recanted.
    — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 17 June 2026
  • Epstein told a guard Tartaglione had attacked him, but later recanted.
    — ABC News, 7 May 2026
  • Taking out that person would cause the second witness to recant his statement, the letter said.
    — Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 25 Oct. 2024
  • Leftow told the judge that George recanted all his confessions.
    — James Ellroy, Vanities, 7 Oct. 2017
  • Even two social media posters, who fanned the flames of the rumor, have since recanted and apologized.
    — Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024
  • With the trip becoming a mass public protest, the operator was forced to recant.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
  • The first woman has since recanted her allegations of abuse, and Mills has not been charged with any crime.
    — Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Did Knox recant her confession hours after signing it?
    — Nicole Briese, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025
  • Why would Mizuhara and the Ohtani spokesperson recant their original version of events?
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024
  • Sid confessed to the police but later recanted, per New York.
    — Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
  • Hundreds were executed and countless others were forced to recant their faith.
    — Adam Duxter, CBS News, 23 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
  • But that person recanted the claim Wednesday night on Twitter.
    — Alex Pappas, Fox News, 28 Sep. 2018
  • Why did Ted Maher recant his confession?
    — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 21 Dec. 2025
  • Nine months later, the children recanted their statements and alleged that Molly had coached them on what to say.
    — Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 10 May 2025
  • But that witness also recanted when prosecutors showed him the video of what happened.
    — J.d. Miles, CBS News, 8 June 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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