retract

[ri-trakt] / rɪˈtrækt /

VERB

take back; renege on

Synonyms

STRONGEST

back down back off cancel deny disavow disown pull back recant renege renounce repeal repudiate rescind reverse revoke rule out take back withdraw

STRONG

abjure back countermand disclaim eliminate exclude forswear recall recede retreat retrograde sheathe suspend unsay unsend

WEAK

back out of call off change one's mind draw in eat one's words fall back forget it go back on have change of heart pull in reel in retrocede take in

Antonyms

STRONGEST

acknowledge admit agree allow approve enforce go forward permit sanction

STRONG

accept advance forge include welcome

WEAK

corroborate emphasize reaffirm repeat

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It was forced to retract a paper published in the journal Nature in 2018 in which it claimed to have found evidence for the Majorana.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Musk quickly posted on X that "the hydraulic pin holding the tower arm in place did not retract."

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

Parnell demanded Financial Times retract the report, but did not provide direct evidence that the report was false.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

“Tactics: get Fergie to retract; hold newspapers accountable; filing a formal complaint with the Press Complaints Commission.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

The waves retract, gathering force, the soft, dark sand seeming to shift away instantly beneath their feet, causing them to lose their balance.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Vocabulary lists containing retract

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Henry David Thoreau "Civil Disobedience" (1849)

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