I would like to retract my previous statement.
Source: tatoeba (1981)
Retract
/ɹɪˈtɹækt/
Synonyms for "retract" (172 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (35)
Verb(5 words)
abandonabjureabolishabrogateannulassert the contrarybackback downback outbackwaterbeliecancelcedeclimb downcontestcontradictcontravenecontrovertcountercountermand
Show 4 more words
Strong matches (51)
Related words (86)
Verb(22 words)
Noun(13 words)
pullbackrecallsrecantingrecoilrenegingrescindingtelescopeunsayingunsharingunword a claimunword a statementunword the remarkswithdrawing
Adjective(6 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: draw back, recant, abandon, abjure, abjure.
- Sentence evidence is available for retract, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "retract".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "retract"
Keep "retract" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "retract" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "retract", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "retract" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
20 entriesShowing 16 of 20 words.
More specific
4 entriesretractable gearretraction of testimonyretractor musclewithdrawal of claim
Collocations
6 entriesretractable antennaretractable bladeretractable mechanismretracted statementretraction of claimretraction of testimony
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriessimilar
5 entriesTranslations
32 translations across 14 languages.
Bulgarian
2 entries- взимам си думите назад verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- прибирам verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
Chinese Mandarin
2 entries- 收回 verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
- 收起 verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
Czech
4 entries- odvolat verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- vtáhnout verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
- vzít zpět verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- zatáhnout verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
Finnish
2 entries- vetää pois verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- vetää sisään verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
French
1 entries- rétracter verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
Greek
2 entries- ανακαλώ verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- συμπτύσσω verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
Hungarian
3 entries- behúz verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
- visszahúz verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
- visszavon verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
Italian
1 entries- ritrattare verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
Māori
2 entries- kairua verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- whakakopa verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
Portuguese
3 entries- retirar verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- retrair verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
- retrair verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
Romanian
4 entries- dezice verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- retracta verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
- retracta verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- retrage verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
Russian
2 entries- вбира́ть verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
- втягивать verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
Spanish
3 entries- desdecirse verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- retractar verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
- retraer verb (to pull (something) back or back inside)
Swedish
1 entries- ta tillbaka verb (to take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written) — see also disavow, repudiate)
Sample sentences
23 total sentences available.
I won't retract that statement.
Source: tatoeba (4499622)
Tom didn't retract his statement.
Source: tatoeba (5729861)
At each approach to the Sun, the solar arrays retract behind the heat shield’s shadow, leaving only a small segment exposed to the Sun’s intense rays.
Source: tatoeba (7058445)
Showing 4 of 23 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "retract"?
Closest matches include draw back, recant, abandon, abjure, abjure.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "retract"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.