What does "recuse" mean?
To reject or repudiate (an authority, a person, a court judgment, etc.).
Recuse
/ɹɪˈkjuːz/ verb
verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To reject or repudiate (an authority, a person, a court judgment, etc.).
- Grammar: recuse is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: avoid involvement, disqualify oneself, move to recuse, propose disqualification.
- Useful contrasts: allow participation, participate, remain in position.
- Usage evidence: And therfore, if ayenst this peticion any processe be made of any maner Juge spirituel or temporell, and soo the same John have wronge, thanne he provoketh and appelleth this cause directly to the rightwisness of god and to the liege lorde, ffor other juges in his matere he hath utterly suspecte, for greet wronges that he hath had, dreding to have more. He therfor hem utterly recuseth, and herto he fully him submitteth.
How to use "recuse"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "recuse" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "recuse" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "recuse" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "recuse" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "recuse" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "avoid involvement" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "recuse", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To reject or repudiate (an authority, a person, a court judgment, etc.). often, reflexive, transitive
"And therfore, if ayenst this peticion any processe be made of any maner Juge spirituel or temporell, and soo the same John have wronge, thanne he provoketh and appelleth this cause directly to the rightwisness of god and to the liege lorde, ffor other juges in his matere he hath utterly suspecte, for greet wronges that he hath had, dreding to have more. He therfor hem utterly recuseth, and herto he fully him submitteth."
- 2 challenge or except to a judge as being incompetent or interested, in canon and civil law wordnet
- 3 To reject or repudiate (an authority, a person, a court judgment, etc.).; Of a judge, juror, or prosecutor: to declare (oneself) unable to participate in a court case due to an actual or potential conflict of interest or lack of impartiality. often, reflexive, transitive
"The judge recused herself from that case, citing a possible conflict of interest as one of the parties was a personal friend."
- 4 disqualify oneself (as a judge) in a particular case wordnet
- 5 To reject or repudiate (an authority, a person, a court judgment, etc.).; To object to (a judge, juror, or prosecutor) participating in a court case due to an actual or potential conflict of interest or lack of impartiality. Canada, US, often, reflexive, transitive
"The ſaid [Nicholas] Fiott, likevviſe, recuſeth James Pipon, eſq; [as being a judge in the cause] ſeeing, that he knovvs that the ſaid Fiott is the perſon vvho is the cauſe that the ſaid Pipon hath been ſued by rigour of lavv, before the council, in order to oblige him to do juſtice to the poor concerning the hoſpital."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To refuse (to do something). obsolete, often, reflexive, transitive
- 7 To dismiss (an appeal). obsolete, often, rare, reflexive, transitive
"[N]otvvithſtanding that the ſaid Judges amply and ſufficiently declared, as vvell the ſincerity of their minds directly, juſtly to proceed vvithout favour, dread, affection, or partiality; […] yet ſhe nevertheleſs perſiſting in her former vvilfulneſs, and in her Appeal, vvhich alſo by the ſaid Judges vvas likevviſe recuſed: […]"
- 8 Of a judge, juror, or prosecutor: to declare oneself disqualified from trying a court case due to an actual or potential conflict of interest or lack of impartiality. intransitive
"The district attorney recused from the case because he used to work for the company which was the defendant."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"And therfore, if ayenst this peticion any processe be made of any maner Juge spirituel or temporell, and soo the same John have wronge, thanne he provoketh and appelleth this cause directly to the rightwisness of god and to the liege lorde, ffor other juges in his matere he hath utterly suspecte, for greet wronges that he hath had, dreding to have more. He therfor hem utterly recuseth, and herto he fully him submitteth."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "recuse"?
Common synonyms include: avoid involvement, disqualify oneself, move to recuse, propose disqualification, step aside, withdraw.
How do you use "recuse" in a sentence?
And therfore, if ayenst this peticion any processe be made of any maner Juge spirituel or temporell, and soo the same John have wronge, thanne he provoketh and appelleth this cause directly to the rightwisness of god and to the liege lorde, ffor other juges in his matere he hath utterly suspecte, for greet wronges that he hath had, dreding to have more. He therfor hem utterly recuseth, and herto he fully him submitteth.
How do you pronounce "recuse"?
Pronounced /ɹɪˈkjuːz/.
Etymology
From Late Middle English recusen, from Old French recuser (modern French récuser (“to challenge; to impugn; (formal) to make an objection; (law) to recuse”), and from its etymon Latin recūsāre, the present active infinitive of recūsō (“to decline, refuse, reject; (law) to object to, protest”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’, denoting opposition or reversal) + causa (“cause, reason; (law) case, claim; etc.”) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs). Doublet of rouse and possibly ruse. Cognates * Catalan recusar * French récuser * Italian ricusare * Old Occitan recuzar * Portuguese recusar * Spanish recusar