The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Recant \Re*cant"\, v. i.
   To revoke a declaration or proposition; to unsay what has
   been said; to retract; as, convince me that I am wrong, and I
   will recant. --Dryden.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Recant \Re*cant"\ (r[-e]*k[a^]nt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   Recanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Recanting.] [L. recantare,
   recantatum, to recall, recant; pref. re- re- + cantare to
   sing, to sound. See 3d Cant, Chant.]
   To withdraw or repudiate formally and publicly (opinions
   formerly expressed); to contradict, as a former declaration;
   to take back openly; to retract; to recall.
   [1913 Webster]

         How soon . . . ease would recant
         Vows made in pain, as violent and void!  --Milton.
   [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To retract; recall; revoke; abjure; disown; disavow. See
        Renounce.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

recant
    v 1: formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually
         under pressure; "He retracted his earlier statements about
         his religion"; "She abjured her beliefs" [syn: abjure,
         recant, forswear, retract, resile]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

125 Moby Thesaurus words for "recant":
   abandon, abjure, abolish, abrogate, annul, assert the contrary,
   back down, back out, backwater, belie, brush aside, cancel, cede,
   chuck, chuck out, climb down, contemn, contest, contradict,
   contravene, controvert, counter, countermand, counterorder,
   crawfish out, cross, decline, deny, despise, disaffirm, disallow,
   disannul, disapprove, disavow, discard, disclaim, discount,
   disdain, disgorge, dismiss, disown, dispense with, dispose of,
   disprove, dispute, disregard, do away with, do without, drop, dump,
   eat crow, eat humble pie, except, exclude, forgo, forsake,
   forswear, gainsay, get along without, get rid of, give away,
   give up, have done with, ignore, impugn, invalidate,
   join issue upon, kiss good-bye, make a sacrifice, make void,
   not accept, not admit, nullify, oppose, override, overrule,
   part with, pass by, pass up, push aside, quitclaim, rebuff, recall,
   refuse, refuse to admit, refuse to consider, refute, reject,
   relinquish, render up, renege, renounce, repeal, repel, repudiate,
   repulse, rescind, resign, retract, reverse, revoke, sacrifice,
   scout, set aside, shove away, spare, spurn, surrender, suspend,
   swallow, swear off, take back, take issue with, throw away,
   throw out, throw up, turn away, turn out, unsay, vacate, void,
   waive, withdraw, write off, yield