Recuse is a legal verb. It usually means to step away from a case because of a possible conflicta situation where personal interests may interfere with fair judgment of interest, especially for a judge. In older or more technical legal use, it can also mean to challengeto question or dispute someone’s right or ability to do something a judge’s suitabilityhow appropriate or fit someone is for a particular role to hear a case.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /rɪˈkjuːz/
Easy pronunciation: ri-KYOOS (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable: kyoos.
Use this sense for a judge who steps aside from a case because of possible bias.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Recuse Meaning
to step aside from hearing a case because you may be biased or may seem biased
Part of speech: verb
Definition: disqualify oneself as a judge in a particular case
Example: The judge decided to recuse herself from the trial after discovering a family connection to one of the lawyers.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Recuse
Meaning 2
to formally object to a judge because of bias, conflict of interest, or lack of suitability
Part of speech: verb
Definition: challenge or except to a judge as being incompetent or interested, in canon and civil law
Example: The defense moved to recuse the judge after learning about the judge’s prior involvement in the case.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Recuse Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- step aside
- withdraw
challenge or except to a judge as being incompetent or interested
- object to
- challenge
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes use recuse to mean any kind of refusal or resignation, but in standard English it is mainly a legal term.
- Do not confuse recuse with excuse; they are different words with different meanings.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does recuse mean in simple English?
It means to step away from a case because there may be a conflict of interest or bias.
Is recuse the same as disqualify?
In legal use, it is close in meaning when a judge steps aside from a case, but recuse is more specific to judges and legal proceedings.
Can recuse mean to challenge a judge?
Yes. In older or more technical legal usage, it can mean formally objecting to a judge’s participation in a case.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
