verb
- Formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure.
- usage: "He retracted his earlier statements about his religion"; "She abjured her beliefs"
- Pull away from a source of disgust or fear.
- synonyms: shrink back
- Use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ.
- Pull inward or towards a center.
- usage: "The pilot drew in the landing gear"; "The cat retracted his claws"
- synonyms: draw in
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). retract. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/retract/definitions/1306574 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "retract" http://smartdefine.org/retract/definitions/1306574 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, retract, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/retract/definitions/1306574>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "retract" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/retract/definitions/1306574> |