retrace
verb
re·trace
(ˌ)rē-ˈtrās 
retraced; retracing
: to trace (something) again or back: such as
a
: to go over or along (something, such as a course or path) again often in a reverse direction
The hikers retraced the path back to the cabin.
… an expedition that retraced Theodore Roosevelt's route along a Brazilian river …—
Warren E. Leary
Warren E. LearyHe found his phone by retracing his steps/footsteps.
b
: to go over (something) again in memory : recall
Then she'd retrace memories of her mother, reminiscence, and find enough good things to bring joy back into her life …—Katherine Jones
Katherine Jones
c
: to discover the origin or early history of (something) by going back over previous steps
retrace (the origin of) a word to German
d
: to follow, study, or present (something) in detail or step by step
But there's also a new exhibition in the city that retraces the roots of the Italian fashion industry.—Patrick Boehler
Patrick BoehlerLet us retrace his argument.—José Eduardo González
José Eduardo González
e
: to write or draw (something, such as a letter or line) again
children tracing and retracing the alphabet
especially
: to write or draw directly over and following along (an existing line, letter, etc.)
The penciled shapes were retraced with black marker.
The challenge: Connect nine dots, arrayed in three rows of three, using four straight lines without retracing a line or lifting the pen. —Adam Piore
Adam Piore Examples of retrace in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
December 12th, 2032: Uranus dives back into Gemini for the last time, retracing the events from the spring and summer.
—Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 4 July 2025
In an exclusive clip from the film (below), the jury tries to retrace Sophie’s steps, and imagine her state of mind, on the night she was murdered.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
Every night, hundreds of curious visitors retrace his steps.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 25 June 2025
Lone Wolf by Adam Weymouth Courtesy of Crown Publishing
Location: Eastern Europe
Type: Nature/History
Buy now: bookshop.org
This talented British journalist retraces the route of a young wolf that scientists named Slvac, who journeys from Slovenia and crosses the Alps to arrive in Italy.
—Pat Tompkins, AFAR Media, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrace
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Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 4 July 2025
In an exclusive clip from the film (below), the jury tries to retrace Sophie’s steps, and imagine her state of mind, on the night she was murdered.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
Every night, hundreds of curious visitors retrace his steps.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 25 June 2025
Lone Wolf by Adam Weymouth Courtesy of Crown Publishing
Location: Eastern Europe
Type: Nature/History
Buy now: bookshop.org
This talented British journalist retraces the route of a young wolf that scientists named Slvac, who journeys from Slovenia and crosses the Alps to arrive in Italy.
—Pat Tompkins, AFAR Media, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrace
Cite this Entry
“Retrace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrace. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
retrace
verb
re·trace
(ˌ)rē-ˈtrās
retraced; retracing
1
: to write or draw again or directly over
retraced the letters
2
: to go over (as a route) again or in a reverse direction
3
: to follow, study, or present in detail or in steps
4
: recall
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