as in revoked
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as in withdrew
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)
the newspaper was forced to retract the story, which turned out to be based on fabricated reporting
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Recent Examples of retracted
Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 19 Mar. 2026
The three presenters on the hepatitis B vaccine were not vaccine scientists, and two had authored a retracted paper about autism.
—Dr. Debra Houry, Time, 5 Dec. 2025
Here’s how the situation unfolded and why the since-retracted comment was so controversial.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Nonetheless, the global ACV market is now valued at more than US$1 billion (2023-2024) and continues to grow – something that one retracted study is unlikely to impact.
—New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2025
In 2021, Sala's work came under scrutiny for a retracted study that used flawed data.
—Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
In 1998, former physician Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a since-retracted paper claiming that the MMR vaccine could cause autism in children.
—Dominik Stecuła, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2025
The threat of retracted benefits, too, is a sticking point.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Jack Brook, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Author Michael Wolff said last year that Epstein played a role in introducing the couple in a Daily Beast article that was later retracted.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
John Vahlenkamp, one of the editors who retracted the story, declined to comment on his investigation into Morganroth’s work or her tenure in Boulder.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
When the crew retracted the drill to replace its bit, an overpowering jet of oil fountained from the well.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
However, Anthropic later partially retracted the takedown, scaling it down to only one repository and 96 fork URLs.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Last week, academic journal The Lancet retracted a 1977 article that had been used to combat regulation.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 Mar. 2026
Amnesty said Mohammadi denied the charges and retracted his confessions in court, saying they were extracted under torture.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
The letter notes the post was later retracted, though not for a full day, and that the retraction itself repeated the original accusation.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
In a demo at CES 2026, Bluetooth SIG marketing VP Dave Hollander set an unlock distance on a phone across the room from a Bauer smart lock—then walked within 2 feet of the lock, leading its deadbolt to whir into the retracted position.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 19 Mar. 2026
The three presenters on the hepatitis B vaccine were not vaccine scientists, and two had authored a retracted paper about autism.
—Dr. Debra Houry, Time, 5 Dec. 2025
Here’s how the situation unfolded and why the since-retracted comment was so controversial.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Nonetheless, the global ACV market is now valued at more than US$1 billion (2023-2024) and continues to grow – something that one retracted study is unlikely to impact.
—New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2025
In 2021, Sala's work came under scrutiny for a retracted study that used flawed data.
—Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
In 1998, former physician Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a since-retracted paper claiming that the MMR vaccine could cause autism in children.
—Dominik Stecuła, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2025
The threat of retracted benefits, too, is a sticking point.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
But Lucas, known for making false confessions, later retracted his claim, and other evidence disproved his connection to the murder.
—Jack Brook, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Author Michael Wolff said last year that Epstein played a role in introducing the couple in a Daily Beast article that was later retracted.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
John Vahlenkamp, one of the editors who retracted the story, declined to comment on his investigation into Morganroth’s work or her tenure in Boulder.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
When the crew retracted the drill to replace its bit, an overpowering jet of oil fountained from the well.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
However, Anthropic later partially retracted the takedown, scaling it down to only one repository and 96 fork URLs.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Last week, academic journal The Lancet retracted a 1977 article that had been used to combat regulation.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 Mar. 2026
Amnesty said Mohammadi denied the charges and retracted his confessions in court, saying they were extracted under torture.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
The letter notes the post was later retracted, though not for a full day, and that the retraction itself repeated the original accusation.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retracted
Verb
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In 2000, the UNIFIL established a de-facto area along the southern Lebanese border with Israel, after Israeli forces withdrew following their second invasion.—
Alayna Treene,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
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An earlier court petition was dismissed in 2015 after the ex-wife withdrew it.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The withheld funding supports election monitoring, independent media and other pro-democracy programs abroad.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Philip Fong | Afp | Getty Images Japan renounced war under Article 9 of its post-World War II pacifist constitution.—
Sam Meredith,Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
-
President Ahmed al-Sharaa is a one-time al-Qaeda commander who renounced the ideology before taking power.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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General Manager Ken Holland hinted at potentially being done after trading center Phillip Danault for a draft pick in December and acquiring Panarin at a suppressed price in February, though he has been known to under-promise often and, sometimes, over-deliver.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Supervising sound editor Alastair Sirkett told IndieWire that Peter Claffey’s big, former-rugby-player frame really helps that moment sing with suppressed panic.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The same City who denied Arsenal title glory in 2023 and 2024.—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Jordan was then interviewed by a private investigator hired by Jackson’s attorneys, and denied being molested by the singer.—
Amelia McDonell-Parry,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The two who confessed – and later recanted – were convicted of capital murder and remained in prison until DNA evidence proving their innocence led to their release in 2009, prosecutors said.—
Jean Casarez,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some of the new information ran counter to narratives his defense had told reporters or submitted to the court, but some also contradicted statements by the prosecution and the government.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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In some shootings, video evidence contradicted immigration officials' initial accounts.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Kentucky lawmakers will likely let our columnist Joe Gerth down again by overriding the veto of a bill that would allow 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds to carry concealed guns.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Apr. 2026
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Watch it for its skin-deep enticement, its powerful visual devices, but also its concealed malignancy.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Retracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retracted. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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