retract

verb

re·​tract ri-ˈtrakt 

retracted; retracting; retracts

transitive verb

1

: to draw back or in

cats retract their claws

2

a

: take back, withdraw

retract a confession

b

: disavow

intransitive verb

1

: to draw or pull back

2

: to recant or disavow something

retractable

ri-ˈtrak-tə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• abjure
• abnegate
• forswear
• foreswear
• recant
• renege
• renounce
• repeal
• repudiate
• take back
• unsay
• withdraw

Choose the Right Synonym for retract

abjure, renounce, forswear, recant, retract mean to withdraw one's word or professed belief.

abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath.

abjured the errors of his former faith

renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown.

renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting

forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal.

I cannot forswear my principles

recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught.

if they recant they will be spared

retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation.

the newspaper had to retract the story

recede, retreat, retract, back mean to move backward.

recede implies a gradual withdrawing from a forward or high fixed point in time or space.

the flood waters gradually receded

retreat implies withdrawal from a point or position reached.

retreating soldiers

retract implies drawing back from an extended position.

a cat retracting its claws

back is used with up, down, out, or off to refer to any retrograde motion.

backed off on the throttle

Examples of retract in a Sentence

A cat can retract its claws.

The pilot retracted the plane's landing gear.

The plane's landing gear failed to retract.

Their college grants were retracted.

They retracted the job offer.

Recent Examples on the Web

The experiment was carefully controlled, and retracted before the pandemic turned the world upside-down in 2020. —Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2024

Amid the lawsuit, Doherty-Heinze’s attorneys demanded in September 2022 that Chrisley retract the alleged defamatory statements from the September 2021 podcast episode. —Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024

The vibe outside is more unified and streamlined than before, with conventional door handles replaced by flush grips that extend and retract automatically. —Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2024

Its anti-drip feature ensures there is no mess by automatically retracting the plunging rod once caulking is done. —Nor'adila Hepburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2024

As major news organizations retracted the photo’s publication, the incident raised more questions and supercharged the conspiracy theories. —Tatum Hunter, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024

The National Retail Federation trade group retracted a report based on it last year. —Jeannette Neumann, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024

Guernica: The online literary magazine was thrown into turmoil after publishing — and then retracting — a personal essay by an Israeli writer about seeking common ground with Palestinians, with several staff members who objected to the essay’s publication resigning. —Lauren Hirsch, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024

The thing that catapulted this week’s drama to a different level was the decision by four international news agencies to very publicly and pointedly retract the photo from their platforms. —Alexander Smith, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin retractus, past participle of retrahere — more at retreat

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

retract

verb

re·​tract ri-ˈtrakt 

1

: to draw or pull back or in

a cat can retract its claws

2

: to withdraw (as an offer, a statement, or a claim)

the newspaper retracted the story

retractable

-ˈtrak-tə-bəl 

adjective

Medical Definition

retract

transitive verb

re·​tract ri-ˈtrakt 

: to draw back or in

retract the lower jaw

compare protract

intransitive verb

: to draw something (as tissue) back or in

also : to use a retractor