unsaying
Withdrawing one's words
Unsaying is the act of taking back or retracting what has been said—attempting to undo speech.
The word appears most often in the negative: There's no unsaying what's already been said.
It acknowledges that words, once spoken, cannot truly be withdrawn.
Formal withdrawal of statement
- disavowalRejection of connection
- repudiationFormal refusal to accept
- revocationOfficial cancellation of privilege
- rescindingFormally canceling or withdrawing
withdrawal · reversal · countermanding · abjuration · renunciation · nullification · backtracking · backpedaling
Denial or cancellation
- refutationDisproving a statement
- contradictionOpposing claims, incompatible together
- rejectionDenial of acceptance
- disowningFormally rejecting association
disclaimer · dissent · disputation · counterstatement · disaffirmation · naysaying · abnegation · repulse
Statement acknowledging wrongdoing
- remorseGuilt for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- penitenceRemorse for misdeeds
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
compunction · self-reproach · ruefulness · atonement · confession · amends · sorrow · chagrin
Change to official text
- revisionAltering to improve
- rectificationAct of setting straight
- clarificationMaking meaning plain
- modificationAct of altering something
redrafting · reformulation · reworking · edit · adjustment · emendation · restatement · rewording
recantation
Formal withdrawal of statement
- disavowalRejection of connection
- repudiationFormal refusal to accept
- revocationOfficial cancellation of privilege
rescinding · withdrawal · reversal · countermanding · abjuration · renunciation · nullification · backtracking · backpedaling · taking back
negation
Denial or cancellation
- refutationDisproving a statement
- contradictionOpposing claims, incompatible together
- rejectionDenial of acceptance
disowning · disclaimer · dissent · disputation · counterstatement · disaffirmation · naysaying · abnegation · repulse · disbelief
apology
Statement acknowledging wrongdoing
- remorseGuilt for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- penitenceRemorse for misdeeds
repentance · compunction · self-reproach · ruefulness · atonement · confession · amends · sorrow · chagrin · guilt
amendment
Change to official text
- revisionAltering to improve
- rectificationAct of setting straight
- clarificationMaking meaning plain
modification · redrafting · reformulation · reworking · edit · adjustment · emendation · restatement · rewording · rephrasing
- taking backretraction, withdrawal, revocation, recantation, clawback
- apophatic theologynegative theology, via negativa, unknowing, negation, ineffability
- correctionscorrection, corrections, fix, fixing, rectification
unsayingaffirming
Declaring something true
confirming · reaffirming · corroborating · standing by · maintaining
say, saying, said, says, unsaid, sayings, gainsay, unsay, sayable