extricate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
extricates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
extricated,
past participle, past
-
extricating
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
extricatesimple
-
extricatessimple
-
have extricatedperfect
-
has extricatedperfect
-
am extricatingprogressive
-
are extricatingprogressive
-
is extricatingprogressive
-
have been extricatingperfect progressive
-
has been extricatingperfect progressive
Past
-
extricatedsimple
-
had extricatedperfect
-
was extricatingprogressive
-
were extricatingprogressive
-
had been extricatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of extricate
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin extricātus (past participle of extricāre ), equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + tric(ae) “perplexities” + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
If you need to be untangled, set free or otherwise released from something or someone, you need to be extricated. Extricate is a mixture of the prefix ex, which means "out" or "out of," and the Latin word tricae, which means "hindrances." So to extricate is to get out of what's hindering you. But it's not always so simple. You just try and extricate yourself from the loving death grip of a grandma who hasn't seen you in awhile!
Vocabulary lists containing extricate
Ender's Game
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Beyond Vietnam" (1967)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Our priority is to get in and complete any rescues if possible. In this case, the plane was heavily damaged and we were not able to extricate any of the victims,” Raines said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
So, what does behavioral science say about how to extricate your loved one from a situation like this?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
Ganesh Aryaal, the chief district officer, told BBC Nepali that relatives will still be able to extricate the remains of their loved ones, once they are identified through DNA testing.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
Meanwhile, despite these woes, I was able to extricate some March Madness picks from the collective wisdom, or otherwise, of the major AI platforms.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 18, 2026
No Wall Street firm would be able to extricate itself, as there were no longer any buyers.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
“The disposal of the Russian hygiene entity extricates the company from a business that cast a shadow over its first-quarter results,” the analyst said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The lovestruck theme continues on Opalite, whose breezy chords and Abba-esque harmonies unfurl like a blossoming romance; and Wi$h Li$t, where Swift extricates herself from the Hollywood pack for a life of domestic bliss.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2025
He draws her toward him, she extricates herself and gives him a small wave, no hug in sight.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2023
It's the "get this" energy we want for J. Smith-Cameron's "Succession" diva Gerri once she extricates herself from Roman Roy's toxic orbit.
From Salon ● May 21, 2023
We cuts in between Dan an' Mexican public opinion and extricates that over-vol'tile sport.
From Wolfville Nights by Alfred Henry Lewis
Several of the injured were trapped inside or under vehicles on the ground, and needed to be extricated by fire and rescue crews, said Jadallah.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
The crews eventually extricated Toscano, who was conscious and talkative as she was pulled out and rushed to a hospital to treat her injuries, her father said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
The cause was never confirmed, but conspiratorial neighbors note that the fire extricated the owner from a money pit that was drowning in permit violations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Hernan Gil survived nearly eight days trapped beneath the ruins of a partially collapsed building in Venezuela before being extricated Thursday in a dramatic operation involving rescuers from seven countries.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
At last, he extricated himself from Romilda Vane, who was hinting heavily that she would like to go to Slughorn’s Christmas party with him.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
He lets the film pause and breathe, believably extricating Pansy from her pain for just a moment to give her a taste of what reprieve and lightness might look like.
From Salon ● Jan. 10, 2025
Zwirner would not disclose the financial terms of extricating the gallery from that project.
From New York Times ● Jul. 26, 2023
After extricating herself from a toxic ex-boyfriend, Anna decides she’d like to have a child.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 2023
By 11:00 the doctor is extricating herself from the growing line of patients.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2023
He tried miserably to recall some means of extricating them both from their devastating embarrassment.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
