as in revoked
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as in withdrew
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 retracted
Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 19 Mar. 2026
The three presenters on the hepatitis B vaccine were not vaccine scientists, and two had authored a retracted paper about autism.
—Dr. Debra Houry, Time, 5 Dec. 2025
Here’s how the situation unfolded and why the since-retracted comment was so controversial.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Nonetheless, the global ACV market is now valued at more than US$1 billion (2023-2024) and continues to grow – something that one retracted study is unlikely to impact.
—New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2025
In 2021, Sala's work came under scrutiny for a retracted study that used flawed data.
—Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
In 1998, former physician Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a since-retracted paper claiming that the MMR vaccine could cause autism in children.
—Dominik Stecuła, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2025
The threat of retracted benefits, too, is a sticking point.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
However, Anthropic later partially retracted the takedown, scaling it down to only one repository and 96 fork URLs.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Last week, academic journal The Lancet retracted a 1977 article that had been used to combat regulation.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 Mar. 2026
Those words probably should have been retracted.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Amnesty said Mohammadi denied the charges and retracted his confessions in court, saying they were extracted under torture.
—Arkansas Online, 22 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 company applied for a city operating permit in September 2025, which was approved in November before being retracted when questions from residents revealed the city’s error on the land use rules.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
In a demo at CES 2026, Bluetooth SIG marketing VP Dave Hollander set an unlock distance on a phone across the room from a Bauer smart lock—then walked within 2 feet of the lock, leading its deadbolt to whir into the retracted position.
—Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 19 Mar. 2026
The three presenters on the hepatitis B vaccine were not vaccine scientists, and two had authored a retracted paper about autism.
—Dr. Debra Houry, Time, 5 Dec. 2025
Here’s how the situation unfolded and why the since-retracted comment was so controversial.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Nonetheless, the global ACV market is now valued at more than US$1 billion (2023-2024) and continues to grow – something that one retracted study is unlikely to impact.
—New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2025
In 2021, Sala's work came under scrutiny for a retracted study that used flawed data.
—Elisabeth Brier, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
In 1998, former physician Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a since-retracted paper claiming that the MMR vaccine could cause autism in children.
—Dominik Stecuła, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2025
The threat of retracted benefits, too, is a sticking point.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
When the crew retracted the drill to replace its bit, an overpowering jet of oil fountained from the well.
—Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
However, Anthropic later partially retracted the takedown, scaling it down to only one repository and 96 fork URLs.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
Last week, academic journal The Lancet retracted a 1977 article that had been used to combat regulation.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 Mar. 2026
Those words probably should have been retracted.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Amnesty said Mohammadi denied the charges and retracted his confessions in court, saying they were extracted under torture.
—Arkansas Online, 22 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 company applied for a city operating permit in September 2025, which was approved in November before being retracted when questions from residents revealed the city’s error on the land use rules.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retracted
Verb
-
In the face of growing opposition generated in part by allegations of his misconduct, Gaetz withdrew.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In the south, Lebanese Army tanks withdrew as Israeli ones rolled in.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The withheld funding supports election monitoring, independent media and other pro-democracy programs abroad.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
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
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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
Adjective
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General Manager Ken Holland hinted at potentially being done after trading center Phillip Danault for a draft pick in December and acquiring Panarin at a suppressed price in February, though he has been known to under-promise often and, sometimes, over-deliver.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
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Supervising sound editor Alastair Sirkett told IndieWire that Peter Claffey’s big, former-rugby-player frame really helps that moment sing with suppressed panic.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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During a court hearing Wednesday morning, Davis' attorney, Simon Steckel, filed a motion to dismiss, which the judge denied.—
Bri Buckley,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Hernandez denied any knowledge or responsibility for what went on at the house.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The two who confessed – and later recanted – were convicted of capital murder and remained in prison until DNA evidence proving their innocence led to their release in 2009, prosecutors said.—
Jean Casarez,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The defense attorneys sought to show that testimony from officers on scene that day contradicted their own body camera footage.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Being contradicted by the facts can produce diverse reactions.—
Deana L. Weibel,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Watch it for its skin-deep enticement, its powerful visual devices, but also its concealed malignancy.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Retracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retracted. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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