retouch

American  

[ree-tuhch, ree-tuhch, ree-tuhch] / riˈtʌtʃ, ˈriˌtʌtʃ, riˈtʌtʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to improve with new touches, highlights, or the like; touch up or rework, as a painting or makeup.

2. Photography. to alter (a negative or positive) after development by adding or removing lines, lightening areas, etc., with a pencil, brush, or knife.

3. to dye, tint, or bleach (a new growth of hair) to match or blend with the color of an earlier and previously dyed growth.

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noun

1. an added touch to a picture, painting, paint job, etc., by way of improvement or alteration.

2. an act or instance of dyeing new growth of hair to blend with previously dyed hair.

retouch British  

/ riːˈtʌtʃ /

verb

1. to restore, correct, or improve (a painting, make-up, etc) with new touches

2. photog to alter (a negative or print) by painting over blemishes or adding details

3. to make small finishing improvements to

4. archaeol to detach small flakes from (a stone) in order to make a tool

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noun

1. the art or practice of retouching

2. a detail that is the result of retouching

3. a photograph, painting, etc, that has been retouched

4. archaeol fine percussion to shape flakes of stone into usable tools

Other Word Forms

• retouchable adjective
• retoucher noun
• unretouched adjective

Etymology

Origin of retouch

1675–85; < Middle French retoucher, equivalent to re- re- + toucher to touch

Explanation

To retouch something is to improve it by making small changes. You might retouch your photo to make your teeth look whiter before you post it on social media. When you make edits or alterations to a photograph, a painting, or another artwork, you retouch them: "It's clear the artist decided to go back and retouch these early etchings." You might also retouch your friend's makeup or hairdo before the prom and then use computer software to digitally retouch the pictures you take of her. The French root, retoucher, means "touch again with a view to improving."

Example Sentences

In her statement, the 42-year-old princess chalked up the alteration to a photographer’s innocent desire to retouch the image.

From New York Times • Mar. 11, 2024

The sponge tool, on the other hand, works to help retouch images by saturating or desaturating color, allowing users to fine-tune how vibrant their images and art look.

From The Verge • Dec. 14, 2021

Greene told Fox News that her daughter’s school picture hadn’t even been taken yet when she was given the option to retouch the photo.

From Fox News • Nov. 2, 2021

But he didn’t retouch second on his way back, leading to a double play.

From Washington Post • Sep. 3, 2021

You could retouch the paint on the bathroom windowsill, and after you do it you could warn me so that I don’t put my watch on it.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri