MEANING
1. To withdraw a statement, allegation, or claim previously made.
2. To draw something back or into a recessed position.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- retract an accusation
- retract a statement
On the page
The witness retracted the accusation after seeing the complete record.
She refused to retract a statement she still believed supported.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- retract
- Past tense
- retracted
- Past participle
- retracted
- Present participle
- retracting
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- retract
- Present continuous
- am/is/are retracting
- Present perfect
- have/has retracted
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been retracting
- Past
- retracted
- Past continuous
- was/were retracting
- Past perfect
- had retracted
- Past perfect continuous
- had been retracting
- Future
- will retract
- Future continuous
- will be retracting
- Future perfect
- will have retracted
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been retracting
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: retract; retracts; retracted; retracted; retracting Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: retracts.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.