recant

/ɹəˈkænt/

//ɹəˈkænt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"recant" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“recant” is uncommon English (frequency #58,307 among 3,094 “R” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#58,307
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To withdraw or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.

Corpus desk

Index EN-recant · recant · English

recant · rank #58,307 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #58,307
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH readies

Nearest frequency peer: readies (-2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “recant”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “recant” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for recant
PropertyValue
Headwordrecant
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹəˈkænt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#58,307
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “recant” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).recantfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “readies” (#58,305), “redoubt” (#58,309), “reenact” (#58,310). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “recant” is #58,307. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

recant is uncommon English at frequency #58,307 among 3,094 “R” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɹəˈkænt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To withdraw or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for recant in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1535, from Latin recantare (“to sing back, reecho, sing again, repeat in singing, recant, recall, revoke, charm back or away”), from re- (“back”) + canto (“to chant, to sing”), frequentative of cano. The correct English form is recant, spelled R-E-C-A-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To withdraw or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how recant appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Convince me that I am wrong, and I will recant.
  2. How soon […] ease would recant / Vows made in pain, as violent and void!

Etymology

First attested in 1535, from Latin recantare (“to sing back, reecho, sing again, repeat in singing, recant, recall, revoke, charm back or away”), from re- (“back”) + canto (“to chant, to sing”), frequentative of cano.

Synonyms

abjurebackpedaldisavowdisowneat one's wordsrecallrecantretractrevokeswallowtake backunsayunspeakwalk backwithcallwithdraw

Antonyms

affirmaverdouble downmaintainstand firmstand one's grounduphold

This word in other languages

retractarse(Español)rétracter(Français)zurücknehmen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "recant"?
"recant" is spelled R-E-C-A-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹəˈkænt/.
What does "recant" mean?
As a verb, "recant" means: To withdraw or repudiate a statement or opinion formerly expressed, especially formally and publicly.
How do you pronounce "recant"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "recant" is /ɹəˈkænt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "recant"?
First attested in 1535, from Latin recantare (“to sing back, reecho, sing again, repeat in singing, recant, recall, revoke, charm back or away”), from re- (“back”) + canto (“to chant, to sing”), frequentative of cano. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "recant", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

portly#58,287poring#58,286Sandow#58,334pectin#58,274

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list