# extract

/ˈɛkˌstɹækt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/extract
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to pull out

verb · CEFR B2

to remove something by pulling it out, often with effort or force.

For teachers: to remove something forcibly from a fixed position or context. Transitive; requires a direct object.

- The dentist had to extract the tooth because it was badly damaged.
- Engineers worked for three days to extract the heavy machinery from the mud after the construction site flooded during the storm.

### 2. to obtain information or value

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to get information, money, or a specific substance from something else.

For teachers: to derive or obtain something from a source through a specific process, such as distillation, calculation, or questioning.

- The police tried to extract a confession from the suspect during the interview.
- The research team developed a more efficient method to extract oil from shale rock without using excessive amounts of water.

### 3. a short passage

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a small part of a longer book, speech, or piece of music.

For teachers: a short passage taken from a text, film, or musical work, typically used for analysis or citation.

- We had to read a short extract from the novel for our literature class.
- The professor provided an extract from the 1924 treaty to illustrate how diplomatic language has evolved over the last century.

### 4. a concentrated substance

noun · CEFR B2

a strong substance that has been taken from a plant or food.

For teachers: a preparation containing the active ingredient or essence of a substance in concentrated form.

- Add two drops of vanilla extract to the cake batter for better flavour.
- The pharmaceutical company uses a highly purified extract of the bark to produce the new anti-inflammatory medication.

## Examples

- The teacher read a short extract from the novel.
- The recipe requires two teaspoons of pure almond extract to achieve the desired flavor profile.
- Students were asked to analyze a brief extract from the primary source to identify the author's underlying rhetorical strategies and potential biases.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.