Did you know?
Here's a quiz for all you etymology buffs. Can you pick the words from the following list that come from the same Latin root?
A. redaction B. prodigal C. agent D. essay
E. navigate F. ambiguous
If you guessed all of them, you are right. Now, for bonus points, name the Latin root that they all have in common. If you knew that it is the verb agere, meaning to "to drive, lead, act, or do," you get an A+. Redaction is from the Latin verb redigere ("to bring back" or "to reduce"), which was formed by adding the prefix red- (meaning "back") to agere. Some other agere offspring include act, agenda, cogent, litigate, chasten, agile, and transact.
Examples of redaction in a Sentence
Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 22 Jan. 2026
The department has said the release of the files was delayed by redactions required to protect the identities of those who were abused.
—Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
The several thousand released to the public have included significant redactions that the Justice Department has also missed a deadline to explain.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2026
Earlier this week, 19 of Epstein’s victims requested that a Justice Department watchdog review the agency’s work, alleging that the redactions have not adequately concealed survivors’ names and identifiers.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for redaction
Cite this Entry
“Redaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redaction. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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