recuse
Americanverb (used with object)
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to reject or challenge (a judge, juror, or attorney) as disqualified to act in a particular case, especially because of potential conflict of interest or bias.
-
to disqualify or withdraw (oneself or another person) from any position of judging or decision-making so as to avoid the appearance of personal interest or bias.
The senator has recused himself from the vote because of his prior association with the company.
verb (used without object)
verb
Usage
What does recuse mean? Recuse most commonly means to withdraw from being in the position of judging a case or presiding over an investigation so as to avoid any partiality or bias. This sense of the word is used reflexively, meaning it’s always followed by a reflexive pronoun, as in recuse yourself, recuse himself, recuse themselves. Less commonly, recuse can mean to reject or challenge a judge or juror due to the belief that they are biased. In both senses, recusing is typically done to avoid a conflict of interest—a situation in which the person doing the voting, judging, or investigating has some personal connection to the case that could influence their decision. People who recuse themselves aren’t resigning—they’re officially excusing themselves from participating. Example: When I was called for jury duty, I knew the man who was on trial so I had to recuse myself.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of recuse
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English recusen, from Middle French recuser, and from Latin recūsāre “to demur, object”; see recusant
Explanation
The verb recuse is used in legal situations and means to remove someone from a position of judicial authority, either a judge or a member of a jury, who is deemed unacceptable to judge, usually because of some bias. The Latin recusare, meaning "to refuse" is the place to start in the history of recuse. You can recuse someone else, but also yourself. As the sister-in-law of the person accused of stealing 400 gallons of pudding from the local pudding factory, you had no choice but to recuse yourself from judging the trial. Too bad, it sounds like an interesting one.
Vocabulary lists containing recuse
This Week in Words: February 16 - 22, 2019
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This Week In Words: February 22–28, 2020
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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.
See Examples For:
Diller, who also sits on MGM’s board, said he would recuse himself from any board deliberations on the proposal.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026
Indeed, the last time the companies petitioned the Supreme Court to take up the Boulder case, they hoped to use it as a vehicle to get around Alito’s need to recuse in the other cases.
From Slate ● Mar. 17, 2026
Herscowitz said he would serve on Energy Corps’s board and recuse himself from future matters involving it and the Rockefeller Foundation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 18, 2026
They tried to contact animal recuse services however they were closed, so someone phoned the police.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
But Rumpff refused to recuse himself and instead offered the assurance that his judgment in the Defiance case would have no influence on him in this one.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Uber said Khosrowshahi recused himself from negotiations related to the partnership.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026
Nevertheless he recused from all the connected cases, and the petitions were dismissed.
From Slate ● Mar. 17, 2026
County Public Defender’s office stepped in to represent Reiner last month, replacing high-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson, who has not said why he recused himself as counsel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2026
She recused herself from a later meeting on 24 October.
From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2026
He came to Vanderbilt and recused himself from the race.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Cynthia Zimmer is also the aunt of Scrivner, and before recusing herself from the case, she played a key role in alerting law enforcement to his actions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
While serving on the lower court, Gorsuch seemed to recognize the conflict of interest that this entanglement created, recusing himself from dozens of cases involving Anschutz and his companies.
From Slate ● Dec. 5, 2024
Mr Barclay did not give a date, but apologised to the committee for not "formally recusing myself sooner," and noting his opposition to the scheme on his ministerial register of interests.
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2024
She also told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that she would consider recusing herself from any case challenging the law.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 30, 2023
"The whole point of disclosing conflicts & recusing is to maintain public confidence in key democratic institutions, like the Court," former U.S.
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2023
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
