retake

1 of 2

verb

re·​take (ˌ)rē-ˈtāk How to pronounce retake (audio)
retook (ˌ)rē-ˈtu̇k How to pronounce retake (audio) ; retaken (ˌ)rē-ˈtā-kən How to pronounce retake (audio) ; retaking

transitive verb

1
: to take or receive again
2
3
: to photograph again

retake

2 of 2

noun

re·​take ˈrē-ˌtāk How to pronounce retake (audio)
: a subsequent filming, photographing, or recording undertaken to improve upon the first
also : an instance of this

Examples of retake in a Sentence

Verb They helped their party retake the Senate. He retook the lead close to the finish line. We will have to retake the photograph. Students can retake the test. Noun The director called for a retake.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Of the 16 House districts won by Mr. Biden but currently in Republican hands, five are in California, making the state a linchpin of the party’s hopes of retaking the chamber, where Republicans currently hold a three-seat majority. Jonathan Weisman, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Yes, candidates can retake any section of the CPA exam. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024 But Kyiv’s efforts were still insufficient to the task of retaking more of the south. Mick Ryan, Foreign Affairs, 5 Feb. 2024 Milwaukee briefly retook a one-point lead on a layup from Antetokounmpo before the Jazz pulled away for good. John Coon, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024 Its forces retook settlements in the Mykolaiv region and the city of Kherson, pushing the front line to the Dnieper River. Samuel Granados, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 It was retaken by Ukrainian forces in August, after weeks of combat that underlined the immense challenges Kyiv faces in punching through dense Russian defenses erected in the area. Constant Méheut, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024 The 49ers retook the lead on Purdy’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings, who broke two tackles to cross the goal line, two plays after Purdy completed a fourth-and-3 conversion pass to George Kittle. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2024 After Trump won Michigan by fewer than 11,000 votes in 2016, Wayne County and its large Muslim communities helped Biden retake the state for the Democrats in 2020 by a roughly 154,000-vote margin. Marin Scott, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2024
Noun
Harmony attended summer school, which her mother said was more like summer camp, but did not pass the retake. Athena Jones, CNN, 10 Sep. 2023 Zell stumbled over a word and asked to do a retake. Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2023 The taping of a 1968 special with Petula Clark was interrupted when Ms. Clark touched Mr. Belafonte’s arm, and a representative of the sponsor, Chrysler-Plymouth, demanded a retake. Peter Keepnews, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2023 So if the new director follows through on requiring a retake next year, what’s the right path for you? Karla L. Miller, Anchorage Daily News, 28 May 2023 The taping of a 1968 special with Petula Clark was interrupted when Clark touched Belafonte’s arm and a representative of the sponsor, Chrysler-Plymouth, demanded a retake. Peter Keepnews, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Apr. 2023 The executive, who interrupted the song and had called for a retake, was later reprimanded by Chrysler and called Mr. Belafonte to apologize. Adam Bernstein, Washington Post, 25 Apr. 2023 And Emily had to schedule a retake on her exam. Courtney Tanner, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Jan. 2021 The United States will send Abrams tanks to Ukraine, President Joe Biden announced Wednesday, reversing course on a major step in aiding Kyiv retake territory from Russia. Tori Otten, The New Republic, 25 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1913, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of retake was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near retake

Cite this Entry

“Retake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retake. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

retake

1 of 2 verb
re·​take (ˈ)rē-ˈtāk How to pronounce retake (audio)
retook -ˈtu̇k How to pronounce retake (audio) ; retaken -ˈtā-kən How to pronounce retake (audio) ; retaking
: to take again
especially : to photograph again

retake

2 of 2 noun
re·​take ˈrē-ˌtāk How to pronounce retake (audio)
: a second photographing, filming, or recording to improve upon the first
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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