retraction
noun
re·trac·tion
ri-ˈtrak-shən 
1
: an act of recanting
specifically
: a statement made by one retracting
His charges were false, and he was forced to make/issue a retraction.
2
: an act of retracting : the state of being retracted
retraction of the plane's landing gear
3
: the ability to retract
Examples of retraction in a Sentence
His charges were false, and he was forced to make a retraction.
the retraction of the plane's landing gear
Recent Examples on the Web
Winter 2026 matched the frigid relationship between Japan and China as there was a significant retraction in the series following Prime Minister Takaichi’s statement about Taiwan in November 2025.
—
Kalai Chik, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Continue reading … STANDING FIRM — New York Times defends controversial anti-Israel piece, 'no truth' to retraction claims.
—FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
The lawsuit does not specify the amount Santana and Smith are seeking in damages, but the filing requests compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney fees, a public retraction, and a correction.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
Views of the original tweet and the retraction reached almost 600,000 as of Saturday night.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for retraction
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Kalai Chik, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Continue reading … STANDING FIRM — New York Times defends controversial anti-Israel piece, 'no truth' to retraction claims.
—FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
The lawsuit does not specify the amount Santana and Smith are seeking in damages, but the filing requests compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney fees, a public retraction, and a correction.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
Views of the original tweet and the retraction reached almost 600,000 as of Saturday night.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for retraction
Cite this Entry
“Retraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retraction. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
retraction
noun
re·trac·tion
ri-ˈtrak-shən
1
: a statement taking back something previously said
2
: an act of retracting : the state of being retracted
3
: the ability to retract
Medical Definition
retraction
noun
re·trac·tion
ri-ˈtrak-shən
: an act or instance of retracting
specifically
: backward or inward movement of an organ or part
retraction of the nipple or skin overlying the tumor —The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association Legal Definition
retraction
noun
re·trac·tion
ri-ˈtrak-shən
: an act of taking back or withdrawing
retraction of a confession
her retraction of the defamatory statement
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