retract

verb

pull inward or towards a center

use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ)

pull away from a source of disgust or fear

formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure

Roots

traho-tract · Latin · draw, pull

Synonyms for retract

recantv abjurev unsayv forswearv withdrawv repudiatev disavowv revokev renouncev rescindv disownv disaffirm renegev

Synonyms & related words for retract

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of retract — including recant, abjure, unsay, forswear, withdraw, repudiate. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to retract

Explore words related to retract — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include retractive, retractively, resile, retractability, retraction, retractation, unstate, recantation. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for retract

Common synonyms for retract include recant, abjure, unsay, forswear, withdraw, repudiate, disavow, revoke — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does retract come from?

The word retract breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root -tract, from Latin traho (“draw, pull”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.