unsay

verb

ˌən-ˈsā How to pronounce unsay (audio)
Definition of unsaynext
as in to retract
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) the witness tried to unsay the very testimony that he had given a few days earlier

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of unsay And what stands out is what is unsaid, the life stories of the people who were owned by our president, who worked those plantations, who served these presidents. — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 5 May 2026 In fact, there is little that Obama has left unsaid about Trump in the past fifteen years. — Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 Now, there is no way to unsay it. — Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026 Left unsaid was that the former group, which included Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings, could be unpredictable and a challenge to coaches and teammates alike. — Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unsay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsay
  1. retract
  2. renounce
  3. withdraw
  4. deny
  5. contradict
Verb
  • Following launch, the mechanism can retract into the container, preserving the system’s compact configuration for transportation and storage.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The analysis shows how severely the department’s Office for Civil Rights has retracted from its mission, launching an average of about 100 new investigations a month — 1,839 total from Inauguration Day in 2025 through July 2026.
    — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of retract
Verb
  • Advertisement Several branches of the Japanese imperial family renounced their royal status in 1947 to cut down on costs the monarchy incurred after the war.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The plan is to find candidates from families that renounced their royal status in 1947, which at the time was to ease the postwar financial burden on the monarchy.
    — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of renounce
Verb
  • The man fell into a coma and succumbed to the disease on October 9, 2026, after life support was withdrawn.
    — Sahas Mehra, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2026
  • As joyful crowds took to the streets to celebrate the students' victory on Sunday, some in the crowd stoned the withdrawing police and dismantled a camp used by Vucic loyalists in a park in central Belgrade for more than a year.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of withdraw
Verb
  • The brothers, through their spokesmen, denied the allegations.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The two sides have clashed mightily over data centers, which are broadly unpopular with the public and which the No campaign says could make a bid for the streamlined permitting process, something the Yes side strenuously denies.
    — Andrew Graham October 27, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of deny
Verb
  • The motion also argues that the letter contradicts what witnesses testified during the trial about the timeline of when Thompson reported her concerns about the medication log.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The phone then stayed in the area for about an hour, contradicting Smith's testimony to police.
    — News Editor, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of contradict

Browse Nearby Words

unsavory
unsay
unsayable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unsay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsay. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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