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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of retract
Those words probably should have been retracted.
—
Luke Barr, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The letter notes the post was later retracted, though not for a full day, and that the retraction itself repeated the original accusation.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
Kennedy criticized the methodology and tried unsuccessfully to get the Danish study retracted.
—Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
The ruthlessness of the producers cutting folk off mid-speech or retracting the microphone and upping the music volume was belittling to those on stage.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for retract
Luke Barr, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The letter notes the post was later retracted, though not for a full day, and that the retraction itself repeated the original accusation.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 20 Mar. 2026
Kennedy criticized the methodology and tried unsuccessfully to get the Danish study retracted.
—Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
The ruthlessness of the producers cutting folk off mid-speech or retracting the microphone and upping the music volume was belittling to those on stage.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for retract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retract
Verb
-
In the face of growing opposition generated in part by allegations of his misconduct, Gaetz withdrew.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Each retiree withdraws $50,000 per year.—
Doug Ashburn,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Should the chain of citizenship break somewhere along the line, however, where an ancestor renounced their citizenship, rights to Canadian citizenship end there.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The German Jews were the founders of American Reform Judaism, which renounced dietary laws, bar mitzvahs, and Zionism.—
Adam Kirsch,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As former Meta executive Brian Boland told CNBC, the company appeared to portray a public image that contradicted what its internal research was showing.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Investigations by the Georgia secretary of state and independent reviews contradict the core allegations of the affidavit, which relies on witnesses who lack credibility and have biases that weren't disclosed to the magistrate judge, Lowell argued.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For certain great artists, Meis believes, the creative act is a safe harbor where life’s pressures, exigencies, and calamities aren’t so much denied or resolved as reimagined as pictorial dramas.—
Jed Perl,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Judge Antonio Arzola denied the request for a standard bond, citing probable cause, and issued an elevated $5,000 bond.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retract. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
