retract

C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /rɪˈtrækt/ UK /rɪˈtrækt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to withdraw a statement, or to draw something back in

The newspaper was forced to retract its false claim.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to withdraw a statement, or... withdraw recant revoke disavow rescind repealreel in

Opposites

assert affirm maintain extend protrude

Word family

Derived forms retractableretractionretractileretractor

Related forms retractiontractorextract contract attract

Etymology

From Latin retractus, past participle of retrahere ('to draw back'), from re- ('back') + trahere ('to draw, pull').

retrahere Latin trahere Latin *tragʰ- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

External links

# retract

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /rɪˈtrækt/
**IPA (UK):** /rɪˈtrækt/

## Meanings
1. to withdraw a statement, or to draw something back in

## Examples
- The newspaper was forced to retract its false claim.

## Synonyms
- withdraw
- recant
- revoke
- disavow
- rescind
- repeal
- reel in

## Antonyms
- assert
- affirm
- maintain
- extend
- protrude

## Derived Forms
- retractable
- retraction
- retractile
- retractor

## Related Forms
- retraction
- tractor
- extract
- contract
- attract

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: retrahere
- Root: trahere
- Root: *tragʰ-

## Etymology
From Latin retractus, past participle of retrahere ('to draw back'), from re- ('back') + trahere ('to draw, pull').

## AI Etymology
Retract comes from Latin retractus, past participle of retrahere ('to draw back'), from re- ('back') + trahere ('to draw, pull'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As a verb, it means "to withdraw a statement, or to draw something back in", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Latin retrahere, Latin trahere, and Proto-Indo-European *tragʰ-. Derivative forms include retractable, retraction, retractile, retractor; related words include retraction, tractor, extract, contract, attract.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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