retractable
Americanadjective
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capable of being withdrawn or rescinded.
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able to be drawn in.
Explanation
Something retractable can be retracted: in other words, it can withdraw or collapse — like an umbrella or a cat's set of claws. Cats have claws that can be drawn in to their paws or extended. Anything like that is retractable. Retractable things — like an umbrella — have a part that is concealed that can then be extended outward. A police baton is retractable if it can be short and compact or long and extended. A retractable roof can be extended as needed. Some sports stadiums have a retractable dome that can be put up when it's raining.
Vocabulary lists containing retractable
Cat Vocabulary: A Feline Lexicon
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What If It's Us
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First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong
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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.
To advertise her business, she affixed a decal and phone number to her white 1984 Pontiac Fiero, a sporty two-seater with retractable headlights.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
Expansive living spaces fill the main floor of the residence, including a stunning sitting room with a retractable glass wall that opens the area to another outdoor seating space.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026
The 53,000-capacity Docklands Stadium in Melbourne is the only one with a retractable roof, which will remain closed for all eight matches there.
From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026
WSJ went inside London’s $1.5 billion Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to see the mechanical features—such as a three-piece, underground retractable field—that help maximize revenue.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025
The luxurious stone villa had balconies overlooking the sea, a badminton court, and a swimming pool with a retractable glass roof.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions 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.
