Synonyms

unsay

American

[uhn-sey] / ʌnˈseɪ /

verb (used with object)

unsaid, unsaying

to withdraw (something said), as if it had never been said; retract.

unsay British

/ ʌnˈseɪ /

verb

(tr) to retract or withdraw (something said or written)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of unsay

First recorded in 1425–75, unsay is from the late Middle English word unsayen. See un- ², say ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But as soon as I said it, I couldn't unsay it.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2023

Yet he can’t unsay what was said on the audio tape.

From Washington Times • Jun. 13, 2018

This is the reality-TV kind of reality where, in post-production, you can unsay anything.

From Washington Post • May 4, 2018

And then they unsay it, and they keep unsaying it, breaking their own rules over and over again.

From The Guardian • May 13, 2017

Now that I’ve thought it and said it, I can’t unthink it and unsay it.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023