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
What’s more, the Fila Museum’s exhibition features a time tunnel that aims to immerse visitors in the brand’s history, retracing its path from origin to the latest developments in sportswear and fashion through iconic garments and multimedia content.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
You're left retracing every step, every interaction and every person your child has been with lately in an attempt to not only find your kid but figure out how this could even happen in the first place.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
The uptrend can be measured as a percentage of how much the 2020-2023 decline has been 'retraced' using Fibonacci retracements.
—Todd Gordon, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
The film, which premiered in Cannes earlier this year, tells the story of four cousins who inherit an old house in rural Normandy and retrace the steps of their ancestors in 19th century Paris.
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrace
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Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
You're left retracing every step, every interaction and every person your child has been with lately in an attempt to not only find your kid but figure out how this could even happen in the first place.
—Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
The uptrend can be measured as a percentage of how much the 2020-2023 decline has been 'retraced' using Fibonacci retracements.
—Todd Gordon, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
The film, which premiered in Cannes earlier this year, tells the story of four cousins who inherit an old house in rural Normandy and retrace the steps of their ancestors in 19th century Paris.
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 4 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 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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