retract

verb

re·​tract ri-ˈtrakt How to pronounce retract (audio)
retracted; retracting; retracts

transitive verb

1
: to draw back or in
cats retract their claws
2
a
: take back, withdraw
retract a confession
b

intransitive verb

1
: to draw or pull back
2
: to recant or disavow something
retractable adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for retract

abjure, renounce, forswear, recant, retract mean to withdraw one's word or professed belief.

abjure implies a firm and final rejecting or abandoning often made under oath.

abjured the errors of his former faith

renounce may carry the meaning of disclaim or disown.

renounced abstract art and turned to portrait painting

forswear may add an implication of perjury or betrayal.

I cannot forswear my principles

recant stresses the withdrawing or denying of something professed or taught.

if they recant they will be spared

retract applies to the withdrawing of a promise, an offer, or an accusation.

the newspaper had to retract the story

recede, retreat, retract, back mean to move backward.

recede implies a gradual withdrawing from a forward or high fixed point in time or space.

the flood waters gradually receded

retreat implies withdrawal from a point or position reached.

retreating soldiers

retract implies drawing back from an extended position.

a cat retracting its claws

back is used with up, down, out, or off to refer to any retrograde motion.

backed off on the throttle

Examples of retract in a Sentence

A cat can retract its claws. The pilot retracted the plane's landing gear. The plane's landing gear failed to retract. Their college grants were retracted. They retracted the job offer.
Recent Examples on the Web In response to the conspiracy theories, the Royal Family released a photograph of the princess and her three children for British Mother’s Day, which was quickly discovered to be digitally altered, prompting news outlets to retract the photo and thus magnify the situation at least a hundredfold. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 The decision by the editors of the literary magazine Guernica to retract an essay about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict reveals much about how the war is hardening human sentiment. Phil Klay, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024 While there was no suggestion the photo was fake, AP retracted it because closer inspection revealed the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards. Jill Lawless, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2024 The Associated Press retracted the photo from distribution hours after publishing it. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Britain’s Press Association, which retracted the picture on its service Monday morning, conveyed that the palace would not be issuing the original unedited photograph of Catherine and her children. Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 In late 2020, The Times was compelled to retract the core of an investigative podcast series from star reporter Rukmini Callimachi and producers drawn from the Daily's team when the fantastical claims of its key source unraveled. David Folkenflik, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024 In a subsequent post, the account shared an interaction with a different Lamy official in which the company retracted that statement, acknowledging the ink was different. Scott Cacciola, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 In addition, the boat is equipped with a hardtop tower that can be automatically retracted to create a tow point or shelter from the elements. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 22 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin retractus, past participle of retrahere — more at retreat

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near retract

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

retract

verb
re·​tract ri-ˈtrakt How to pronounce retract (audio)
1
: to draw or pull back or in
a cat can retract its claws
2
: to withdraw (as an offer, a statement, or a claim)
the newspaper retracted the story
retractable adjective

Medical Definition

retract

transitive verb
re·​tract ri-ˈtrakt How to pronounce retract (audio)
: to draw back or in
retract the lower jaw
compare protract

intransitive verb

: to draw something (as tissue) back or in
also : to use a retractor

More from Merriam-Webster on retract

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