Definition of extractnext
as in excerpt
a part taken from a longer work the anthology includes a long extract from the epic poem

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb extract contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of extract are educe, elicit, evoke, and extort. While all these words mean "to draw out something hidden, latent, or reserved," extract implies the use of force or pressure in obtaining answers or information.

extracted a confession from him

When would educe be a good substitute for extract?

The meanings of educe and extract largely overlap; however, educe implies the bringing out of something potential or latent.

educed order out of chaos

When is elicit a more appropriate choice than extract?

Although the words elicit and extract have much in common, elicit usually implies some effort or skill in drawing forth a response.

careful questioning elicited the truth

When can evoke be used instead of extract?

The words evoke and extract can be used in similar contexts, but evoke implies a strong stimulus that arouses an emotion or an interest or recalls an image or memory.

a song that evokes warm memories

In what contexts can extort take the place of extract?

The words extort and extract are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, extort suggests a wringing or wresting from one who resists strongly.

extorted their cooperation by threatening to inform

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of extract
Verb
During startup, feasibility agents extract unstructured protocol criteria and fix enrollment bottlenecks before site activation even begins. Anshima Raj, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026 One of the victims was trapped underneath a car and had to be extracted by technical rescue personnel, the department said in a statement. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
But whole-leaf kratom — the natural product and its extracts — has also led to dependence and death, according to McCurdy’s own research. Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 1 Sep. 2026 Some studies have also found that grape products, like grape seed extract, may help lower blood pressure and heart rate. Alexandria Nyembwe, HEALTH, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for extract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extract
Verb
  • One of the resources pulled was the Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool, which was designed to capture information on cars, bicycles, and pedestrians, according to the outlet.
    Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Moreno had previously put the club up for sale in August 2022 before pulling the team off the market five months later.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Media excerpts situate Jarman’s visible advocacy as a spokesperson for the community.
    Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Her final memoir, An Unexpected Life, will also be published later this month; Vogue has an excerpt.
    Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • That’s what life is like for NFL players who were plucked off the waiver wire last week, or those who have signed with a new team last week after not making their old team’s initial 53-man roster.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Last January Nessie O’Neil, a graduate student in biology at Miami University in Ohio, watched as a young pygmy raccoon plucked a receipt from the paper trash.
    Isabel Gil, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Sandra Ogbebor hunches over her softly humming refrigerator and scours through bottles before finally yanking out an orange juice.
    Light Oriye Tamunotonye, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In one clip, a pair of people sit in a small box attached to a wire as they're yanked onto a platform across a river in Nuwakot, Nepal.
    Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Extract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extract. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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