retracted

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retract

Retracted means taken back or withdrawn.

The word "retracted" can seem a bit tricky because it has different uses depending on its meaning. One common use of retracted is when someone takes something back that they said earlier, like an apology or a statement. For example, if a politician makes a mistake in their speech and then corrects themselves by saying the opposite later, we might say that they "retracted" their previous words.

How common is "retracted"?

Word retracted is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

verb

To pull back inside.
Example: An airplane retracts its wheels for flight.
To draw back; to draw up.
Example: A cat can retract its claws.
To take back or withdraw something one has said.
Example: I retract all the accusations I made about the senator and sincerely hope he won't sue me.
To take back, as a grant or favour previously bestowed; to revoke.