retraction

[ri-trak-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of retracting retract or the state of being retracted. retract.

2. withdrawal of a promise, statement, opinion, etc..

   His retraction of the libel came too late.

3. retractile power.

Other Word Forms

• nonretraction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of retraction¹

1350–1400; Middle English retraccioun < Latin retractiōn- (stem of retractiō ), equivalent to Latin retract ( us ) ( retract ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

He wants a full retraction of the Panorama documentary, an apology for the "false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading and inflammatory statements" made about him in it, and appropriate compensation "for the harm caused".

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Economic uncertainty created by incoherent policy decisions, including threats and retractions of tariff policies, federal worker layoffs, and immigration enforcement actions, is itself a serious economic threat that is freezing business planning in place.

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After the lawsuit was filed in a Delaware court, Newsom’s lawyers said they were prepared to drop the suit if the governor got a retraction and a formal on-air apology.

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After the network’s retraction, Operation Healthy Hearts may no longer have grounds to file suit for damages.

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Certainly, some effort must be made to point out falsehoods and inconsistencies, but the same psychological evidence that shows how falsehood and inconsistency gain traction also tells us that retractions and refutations are seldom effective.

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Related Words

• annulment 
• denial 
• disavowal 
• disclaimer 
• repudiation 
• reversal 

When To Use

What is a retraction?

Retraction is the withdrawal of a statement or promise, such as in a news story. When a news outlet gets facts wrong in a story, they publish a retraction that states what facts were wrong and what the correct facts are.In general, retraction is the act of pulling something back, such as the retraction of a payment (taking the payment back).Example: If this turns out to be true, we’ll have to issue a retraction about last week’s issue.