retraction
noun
re·trac·tion
ri-ˈtrak-shən 
1
: an act of recanting
specifically
: a statement made by one retracting
2
: an act of retracting : the state of being retracted
3
: the ability to retract
Examples of retraction in a Sentence
His charges were false, and he was forced to make a retraction.
the retraction of the plane's landing gear
Recent Examples on the Web
Mixed Reactions While some universities criticize the procedure and announce retractions, others have attempted to justify the practice, revealing a troubling lack of consensus on AI ethics in academia.
—
Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Economists have forecast a range of potential negative outcomes driven by Trump’s tariffs: an increase in prices, longer-term inflationary pressure, a slowdown in U.S. growth or even stagflation — a combination of inflation and economic retraction.
—Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 25 June 2025
Its retraction shows that scientific conclusions aren’t decided by majority rule in the public square
In 2021 a multidisciplinary team of researchers claimed that a Tunguska-sized airburst, larger than any such airburst in human history, destroyed a Bronze Age city near the Dead Sea.
—Mark Boslough, Scientific American, 25 June 2025
The governor’s lawyers sent Fox News a letter demanding a retraction and an on-air apology from Watters; if the network complies, the governor would drop the suit, per the letter.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for retraction
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Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Economists have forecast a range of potential negative outcomes driven by Trump’s tariffs: an increase in prices, longer-term inflationary pressure, a slowdown in U.S. growth or even stagflation — a combination of inflation and economic retraction.
—Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 25 June 2025
Its retraction shows that scientific conclusions aren’t decided by majority rule in the public square
In 2021 a multidisciplinary team of researchers claimed that a Tunguska-sized airburst, larger than any such airburst in human history, destroyed a Bronze Age city near the Dead Sea.
—Mark Boslough, Scientific American, 25 June 2025
The governor’s lawyers sent Fox News a letter demanding a retraction and an on-air apology from Watters; if the network complies, the governor would drop the suit, per the letter.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for retraction
Cite this Entry
“Retraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retraction. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
retraction
noun
re·trac·tion
ri-ˈtrak-shən
1
: a statement taking back something previously said
2
: an act of retracting : the state of being retracted
3
: the ability to retract
Medical Definition
retraction
noun
re·trac·tion
ri-ˈtrak-shən
: an act or instance of retracting
specifically
: backward or inward movement of an organ or part
retraction of the nipple or skin overlying the tumor —The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association Legal Definition
retraction
noun
re·trac·tion
ri-ˈtrak-shən
: an act of taking back or withdrawing
retraction of a confession
her retraction of the defamatory statement
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