as in to withdraw
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)
the newspaper was forced to retract the story, which turned out to be based on fabricated reporting
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Recent Examples of retract
These sensors then trigger the awnings to retract or extend to maintain optimal conditions.
—
Bestreviews,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
The handle extends and retracts smoothly, helping travelers of different heights maintain comfortable control over their luggage throughout their journey.
—
New Atlas,
22 June 2026
One of his Greenlandic colleagues offered his own thoughts, then similarly retracted, lest his assertions affect Greenland’s new position of leverage.
—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Chinese brand Honor used the opening red carpet of the Shanghai International Film Festival to debut its Robot Phone, a device that marries AI interaction with a high-resolution camera that extends from the phone body like an antenna, moves on its own, and retracts when not in use.
—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for retract
Bestreviews,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
The handle extends and retracts smoothly, helping travelers of different heights maintain comfortable control over their luggage throughout their journey.
—
New Atlas,
22 June 2026
One of his Greenlandic colleagues offered his own thoughts, then similarly retracted, lest his assertions affect Greenland’s new position of leverage.
—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Chinese brand Honor used the opening red carpet of the Shanghai International Film Festival to debut its Robot Phone, a device that marries AI interaction with a high-resolution camera that extends from the phone body like an antenna, moves on its own, and retracts when not in use.
—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for retract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retract
Verb
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About 71 percent of the SPAC’s cash pool stayed in the merger rather than being withdrawn by investors.
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This means they can be revised or withdrawn without legislation.
Verb
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What follows are dozens of examples of how those whose names are familiar (or aren’t) and legendary (or infamous) for their actions while representing the state have been embraced (or renounced) by the rest of the country and beyond.
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If the Lakers renounce all their free agents except for Reaves, hacking their books with machete, the team would have Dončić, Jared Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Bronny James (partial guarantee) and Adou Theiro under contract.
Verb
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Over the same period, entry-level head count at the high-intensity firms rose 12%, contradicting predictions and fears that young or inexperienced workers would be most at risk of losing their jobs to AI.
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Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the National Assembly, announced Monday that the official toll stood at 1,719 people killed and 5,000 injured, and warned the public against sharing information that contradicted authorities.
Verb
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His opponent claimed that created a conflict of interest, which Weiser denied.
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The two housekeepers denied having such a conversation with Brown, noting language differences would have made such a discussion unlikely.
Cite this Entry
“Retract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retract. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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