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
In 2016, experts tested the wine's quality by extracting a sample with a Coravin device, which uses a needle to pierce the cork without damaging it. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026 Tehran, which wants ships to move along a route close to its shores and extract a transit fee, declared the entire waterway closed. Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 17 July 2026
Noun
The true highlight, though, is the hair growth-inducing properties of caffeine, biotin, Panax ginseng root extract, rosemary, and salicylic acid baked into the shampoo. Essence Wiley, InStyle, 15 July 2026 It’s enriched with key ingredients like nettle, rosehip, and rosemary leaf extract, along with wild bergamot oil, and is lightweight enough not to weigh hair down while working its magic. Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for extract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extract
Verb
  • Eileen Tyrrell, a 27-year-old bookseller, pulled the cushions off her couch to arrange makeshift seating in her Brooklyn apartment.
    Grey Battle, Washington Post, 16 July 2026
  • The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
Noun
  • The Times ran an excerpt of it with their story about the suit.
    Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 July 2026
  • Read an exclusive excerpt from Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories 2 below.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • The fact that celebrity landed upon him, plucking him from the obscurity of his mission to represent the burgeoning discourse on the disease, says more about the world that orbited him than his actions on the island or his own political nous.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • And their semi-final victory over England was plucked from another incredibly precarious position.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • Then we’re yanked into Louis’s hazy POV, from which Armand is reading another one of his apology letters.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • Johnson yanks veterans' benefits package An effort to advance a package of VA benefits bills this morning on the House floor went down in flames – the latest in Speaker Mike Johnson's struggle to get Republicans on the same page.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 16 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Extract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extract. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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