unsend

[/ʌnˈsend/]
verb
desfazer envio
1. To cancel, recall, or delete a message after it has been sent, typically within a limited time window
I unsent the email before my boss read it because I realized I made a typo.
Eu desfiz o envio do email antes do meu chefe ler porque percebi que cometi um erro de digitação.
2. To retract a digital communication (message, email, text) before the recipient has seen it
You can unsend a message on WhatsApp within a few minutes of sending it.
Você pode desfazer o envio de uma mensagem no WhatsApp alguns minutos após enviá-la.
This is a modern digital-age term that emerged with messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Gmail. In Brazil, particularly among younger users, 'desenviar' has become a colloquial standard. The feature reflects contemporary communication anxiety and the desire to correct mistakes in real-time. In the USA, 'unsend' has become ubiquitous in tech culture and casual digital communication.
NYC Slang
take back a text / recall a message
Synonyms / Sinônimos
recallretractdeletewithdraw
Antonyms / Antônimos
sendtransmitdeliver

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
desfazer envio / desenviar
Most common translation; 'desenviar' is used colloquially in messaging apps
Rio de Janeiro
desfazer / tirar mensagem
Informal speech may use 'tirar a mensagem' (take away the message)
São Paulo
desfazer envio / deletar mensagem
May use 'deletar' (delete) as a more direct term
Portugal
anular envio / retirar mensagem
Portuguese uses 'anular' (cancel) more frequently than Brazilian Portuguese

Related Words

messageemailtextrecallretractdelete

Related Idioms & Phrases

unsend a message
unsend an email
too late to unsend
I wish I could unsend that
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