as in withdrawing
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 retracting
Self-retracting nozzles are the most hygienic.
—
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
The ruthlessness of the producers cutting folk off mid-speech or retracting the microphone and upping the music volume was belittling to those on stage.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
The actress has no interest in retracting her comments.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Her delicate proto-shell dangles below, her tiny sails and blossoming eyes retracting at the scent of predators.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
With retracting landing gear and a striking look, too, this set is ideal for young ones with plenty of imagination.
—Alexander Cox, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
School public safety had initially reported that a suspect had been taken into custody before retracting that statement.
—Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025
This series of exemptions is part of EPA’s suite of PFAS de-regulation that includes approving PFAS-laden pesticides and retracting some of its maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) that were the result of years of careful research and policymaking.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Moreover, the patches of skin behind the upper arms and on the trunk reveal that the reptile had powerful muscles for retracting its forelimbs.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
The ruthlessness of the producers cutting folk off mid-speech or retracting the microphone and upping the music volume was belittling to those on stage.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
The actress has no interest in retracting her comments.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Her delicate proto-shell dangles below, her tiny sails and blossoming eyes retracting at the scent of predators.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
With retracting landing gear and a striking look, too, this set is ideal for young ones with plenty of imagination.
—Alexander Cox, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
School public safety had initially reported that a suspect had been taken into custody before retracting that statement.
—Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025
This series of exemptions is part of EPA’s suite of PFAS de-regulation that includes approving PFAS-laden pesticides and retracting some of its maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) that were the result of years of careful research and policymaking.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
Moreover, the patches of skin behind the upper arms and on the trunk reveal that the reptile had powerful muscles for retracting its forelimbs.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retracting
Verb
-
Lebanese officials have pushed for a ceasefire, while Israel has framed the negotiations around Hezbollah’s disarmament and a potential peace deal, without publicly committing to halting hostilities or withdrawing its forces.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Jason Baer, the lawyer who’d shared several cases with Motta, began the process of withdrawing as co-counsel at the first sign of a federal investigation.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Returning to the guitars that characterized the band’s earliest work without renouncing their latter-day synths, MacFarlane gives Graham’s ruminations an urgent tenderness.—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The association filed several lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the fee, including one that remains pending that argues there should be no cost for renouncing one’s citizenship.—
Matthew Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His complaint alleged that the state’s actions had left him with a financial burden of more than $20,000 per year by denying the vouchers to both of his children.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Pressed by rival camps, pursued by the political press corps, the claims were largely confined to unvetted corners of the internet until this week, when Swalwell’s campaign — knowing the whispers were getting louder — issued a public statement denying any wrongdoing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retracting. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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