Word
retract
Phoneticsre·tract, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹiˈtɹækt/
UK/ɹɪtɹˈækt/
Definition
v. to pull something back inside, or to say that something you said before was not true. You use this when a cat pulls in its claws or when a person takes back a public statement.
v. to draw or pull something back or inwards; to formally withdraw a statement, accusation, or promise. Transitive when referring to physical movement or verbal withdrawal; occasionally intransitive in biological contexts.
Examples
“The cat will retract its claws when it feels safe.”
“The newspaper was forced to retract the story after new evidence proved the main witness had lied.”
“The landing gear failed to retract fully into the fuselage, forcing the pilot to declare an emergency and return to the airfield for a manual inspection.”
Examples
simple
“The cat will retract its claws when it feels safe.”
contextual
“The newspaper was forced to retract the story after new evidence proved the main witness had lied.”
complex
“The landing gear failed to retract fully into the fuselage, forcing the pilot to declare an emergency and return to the airfield for a manual inspection.”
Usage
The verb is transitive when taking an object like 'claws', 'landing gear', or 'statement'.
Real-World Examples
“In the past, he has stood by his research and criticized decisions to retract his studies.” “In 1930, Brigham published a paper to retract his earlier statements on racial differences in intelligence.” Etymology
From Late Middle English retracten, retract (“to absorb, draw in”), from Latin retractus (“withdrawn”), the perfect passive participle of Latin retrahō (“to draw or pull back, withdraw; to bring back; to compel to turn back; to recall; to get back, recover; to hold back, restrain, withhold; to remove, take away; to bring to light again; (Late Latin) to delay”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + trahō (“to drag, pull; to extract, withdraw”). Doublet of retreat.
Partly: * from retract (verb) (see etymology 1); and * from Late Latin retractus (“a pulling back, retreat; refuge”), from Latin retractus (“withdrawn”), the perfect passive participle of Latin retrahō (“to draw or pull back, withdraw; to bring back; to compel to turn back; to recall; to get back, recover; to hold back, restrain, withhold; to remove, take away; to bring to light again; (Late Latin) to delay”) (see etymology 1) + -tus (suffix forming action nouns from verbs). Doublet of retrait, retreat, and ritratto.
From Middle French rétracter (“to annul; to reconsider; to withdraw”) (modern French rétracter (“to retract; to contract”)), and from its etymon Latin retractāre, the present active infinitive of retractō (“to retract, withdraw; to annul, revoke; to detract from; to undertake again; to reconsider; to remember; to decline, refuse”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + tractō (“to drag, haul, tug”) (from trahō (“to drag, pull; to extract, withdraw”) + -tō (frequentative suffix forming verbs)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
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