Miss Pearce said she expected an unqualified retraction of his comments within twentyfour hours. [+ of]
2. verb
When a part of a machine or a part of a person's body retracts or is retracted, it moves inwards or becomes shorter.
[formal]
Torn muscles retract, and lose strength, structure, and tightness. [VERB]
...when the aircraft's wheels were retracted. [beVERB-ed]
[Also VERB noun]
More Synonyms of retract
retract in British English
(rɪˈtrækt)
verb
1. (transitive)
to draw in (a part or appendage)
a snail can retract its horns
to retract the landing gear of an aircraft
2.
to withdraw (a statement, opinion, charge, etc) as invalid or unjustified
3.
to go back on (a promise or agreement)
4. (intransitive)
to shrink back, as in fear
5. phonetics
to modify the articulation of (a vowel) by bringing the tongue back away from the lips
Derived forms
retractable (reˈtractable) or retractible (reˈtractible)
adjective
retractability (reˌtractaˈbility) or retractibility (reˌtractiˈbility)
noun
retractation (ˌriːtrækˈteɪʃən)
noun
retractive (reˈtractive)
adjective
Word origin
C16: from Latin retractāre to withdraw, from tractāre to pull, from trahere to drag
retract in American English
(rɪˈtrækt)
verb transitive, verb intransitive
1.
to draw back or in
to retract claws
see also protract (sense 3)
2.
to withdraw or disavow (a statement, promise, offer, charge, etc.); recant
Derived forms
retractability (reˌtractaˈbility)
noun
retractable (reˈtractable)
adjective
retractive (reˈtractive)
adjective
Word origin
ME retracten: in sense retract (sense 1) < L retractus, pp. of retrahere, to draw back < re-, back + trahere, to draw; in sense retract (sense 2) < MFr retracter < L retractare, to draw back, withdraw < re-, back + tractare, to pull, draw, freq. of trahere
Examples of 'retract' in a sentence
retract
He saw a long elegant paw flash out and retract, holding some tiny rodent.
Barbara Erskine HIDING FROM THE LIGHT (2001)
For what he's done, he doesn't just retract his evidence and walk back to us like nothing's different.
Seymour, Gerald FIELD OF BLOOD (2001)
Lionel was made to retract his neck like a turtle and to extend his neck like a snake.
Joyce Carol Oates MIDDLE AGE: A ROMANCE (2001)
In other languages
retract
British English: retract VERB
If you retract something that you have said or written, you say that you did not mean it.
He hurriedly sought to retract the statement, but it had just been broadcast on national radio.
He's hoping that if he makes me feel guilty, I'll retract.
American English: retract
Brazilian Portuguese: retratar
Chinese: 收回
European Spanish: retirar
French: rétracter
German: zurücknehmen
Italian: ritrattare
Japanese: 引っ込める/引っ込む
Korean: 수축하다
European Portuguese: retratar
Latin American Spanish: retirar
1 (verb)
Definition
to withdraw (a statement, charge, etc.) as invalid or unjustified
He hurriedly sought to retract the statement.
Synonyms
withdraw
He withdrew his remarks and said he had not intended to cause offence.
take back
revoke
The government revoked his licence.
disown
Those comments were later disowned.
deny
I denied my legal guardians because I wanted to be independent.
recall
The order was recalled.
reverse
They have made it clear they will not reverse the decision.
cancel
Her insurance had been cancelled by the company.
repeal
The government has just repealed that law.
renounce
She renounced her old ways.
go back on
repudiate
They had repudiated her contract.
rescind
You will rescind that order immediately.
renege on
back out of
disavow
He immediately disavowed the newspaper story.
recant
a man who refused after torture to recant his heresy
disclaim
She disclaims any knowledge of her boss's business activities.
abjure
He abjured the Protestant faith in 1594.
eat your words
unsay
2 (verb)
Definition
to draw in (a part or appendage)
A cat in ecstasy will extend and retract his claws.
Synonyms
draw in
pull in
He pulled in at the side of the road.
pull back
reel in
sheathe
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abjure
He abjured the Protestant faith in 1594.
Synonyms
give up,
deny,
kick (informal),
reject,
abandon,
relinquish,
renounce,
throw off,
forsake,
retract,
disown,
renege on,
disavow,
recant,
disclaim,
forswear,
wash your hands of,
abnegate
in the sense of cancel
Her insurance had been cancelled by the company.
Synonyms
annul,
abolish,
repeal,
abort,
quash,
do away with,
revoke,
repudiate,
rescind,
obviate,
abrogate,
countermand,
eliminate
in the sense of deny
Definition
to refuse to acknowledge
I denied my legal guardians because I wanted to be independent.
Synonyms
renounce,
reject,
discard,
revoke,
retract,
repudiate,
renege,
disown,
rebut,
disavow,
recant,
disclaim,
abjure,
abnegate,
refuse to acknowledge or recognize
Synonyms of 'retract'
retract
Explore 'retract' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of disavow
Definition
to deny connection with or responsibility for (something)
He immediately disavowed the newspaper story.
Synonyms
deny,
reject,
contradict,
retract,
repudiate,
disown,
rebut,
disclaim,
forswear,
gainsay (archaic, literary),
abjure
in the sense of disclaim
Definition
to deny (responsibility for or knowledge of something)
She disclaims any knowledge of her boss's business activities.
Synonyms
deny,
decline,
reject,
disallow,
retract,
repudiate,
renege,
rebut,
disavow,
abnegate,
disaffirm
in the sense of disown
Definition
to deny any connection with (someone)
Those comments were later disowned.
Synonyms
deny,
reject,
abandon,
renounce,
disallow,
retract,
repudiate,
cast off,
rebut,
disavow,
disclaim,
abnegate,
refuse to acknowledge or recognize
in the sense of pull in
Definition
to reach a destination
He pulled in at the side of the road.
Synonyms
draw in,
stop,
park,
arrive,
come in,
halt,
draw up,
pull over,
come to a halt
in the sense of recall
Definition
to annul or cancel
The order was recalled.
Synonyms
annul,
withdraw,
call in,
take back,
cancel,
repeal,
call back,
revoke,
retract,
rescind,
nullify,
countermand,
abjure
in the sense of recant
Definition
to take back (a former belief or statement) publicly
a man who refused after torture to recant his heresy
Synonyms
withdraw,
take back,
retract,
disclaim,
deny,
recall,
renounce,
revoke,
repudiate,
renege,
disown,
disavow,
forswear,
abjure,
unsay,
apostatize
in the sense of renounce
Definition
to give up (a belief or habit) voluntarily
She renounced her old ways.
Synonyms
disown,
reject,
abandon,
quit,
discard,
spurn,
eschew,
leave off,
throw off,
forsake,
retract,
repudiate,
cast off,
abstain from,
recant,
forswear,
abjure,
swear off,
wash your hands of
in the sense of repeal
Definition
to cancel (a law) officially
The government has just repealed that law.
Synonyms
abolish,
reverse,
revoke,
annul,
recall,
withdraw,
cancel,
set aside,
rescind,
invalidate,
nullify,
obviate,
abrogate,
countermand,
declare null and void
in the sense of repudiate
Definition
to reject the authority or validity of
They had repudiated her contract.
Synonyms
cancel,
withdraw,
reverse,
abolish,
set aside,
repeal,
renounce,
quash,
take back,
call back,
revoke,
retract,
negate,
renege,
rescind,
recall,
invalidate,
annul,
nullify,
recant,
obviate,
disclaim,
abrogate,
countermand,
declare null and void
in the sense of rescind
Definition
to annul or repeal
You will rescind that order immediately.
Synonyms
annul,
recall,
reverse,
cancel,
overturn,
set aside,
void,
repeal,
quash,
revoke,
retract,
invalidate,
obviate,
abrogate,
countermand,
declare null and void
Additional synonyms
in the sense of reverse
Definition
to revoke or set aside (a judgment or decree)
They have made it clear they will not reverse the decision.