What does recanting mean?
Recanting means formally taking back a statement, belief, or commitment previously expressed. It is especially associated with legal testimony, religious belief, political allegiance, and public declarations, where a person may retract or repudiate an earlier position. Unlike merely changing one's mind, recanting normally implies a deliberate and often public reversal, sometimes made under pressure. A witness who recants testimony may withdraw evidence given earlier, while a person who recants a belief publicly disavows it. The word comes from Latin recantare, a compound of re-, meaning “back” or “again,” and cantare, meaning “to sing.” Its modern sense developed from the idea of “singing back” or formally withdrawing what had previously been asserted. Recanting is useful when precision matters because it distinguishes a formal retraction from an ordinary revision of opinion.
verb (present participle and gerund of recant)To formally withdraw, repudiate, or retract a statement, belief, or opinion previously expressed, especially under pressure or scrutiny.
- To formally retract or repudiate a statement, belief, or opinion previously expressed.
- To withdraw testimony, a charge, or a claim, especially in a legal or institutional setting.
"After reconsidering her testimony, the witness recanted her earlier statement."
"The witness eventually recanted her testimony after further questioning."
"He spent years recanting his former political commitments."
Recanting means more than changing your mind: it means formally taking back what you once publicly said.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does recanting come from?
Recanting comes from Latin recantare, formed from re- (“back” or “again”) and cantare (“to sing”). The Latin compound originally referred to singing something back and acquired the sense of withdrawing a previous assertion. The word entered English in the early 17th century, particularly in legal and religious contexts concerned with testimony, doctrine, and formal retraction.
Related word forms
How recanting is actually used
Recanting has a formal, often solemn register. It commonly implies public or institutional repudiation, frequently under legal, religious, political, or personal pressure, and is generally more forceful than simply changing one's mind.
Easily confused with recanting
Recanting means retracting or repudiating something previously said, whereas recounting means telling or narrating an event.