retract

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

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.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

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

Simplified etymology

Retract dates from late Middle English and belongs to the family derived from Latin trahere “draw.” Its underlying sense is “draw back.”

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

Actions & Processes

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 - to pull
- 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
- Actions & Processes

markdown