traction

American  

[trak-shuhn] / ˈtræk ʃən /

noun

1. the adhesive friction of a body on some surface, as a wheel on a rail or a tire on a road.

2. the action of drawing a body, vehicle, train, or the like, along a surface, as a road, track, railroad, or waterway.

3. Medicine/Medical. the deliberate and prolonged pulling of a muscle, organ, or the like, as by weights, to correct dislocation, relieve pressure, etc.

4. transportation by means of railroads.

5. the act of drawing or pulling.

6. the state of being drawn.

7. the support or momentum needed to advance something or make it successful.

   Her proposal failed to gain traction among our board members.

8. attracting power or influence; attraction.

   The main character feels the traction of fate.

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traction British  

/ ˈtræktɪv, ˈtrækʃən /

noun

1. the act of drawing or pulling, esp by motive power

2. the state of being drawn or pulled

3. med the application of a steady pull on a part during healing of a fractured or dislocated bone, using a system of weights and pulleys or splints

4. the adhesive friction between a wheel and a surface, as between a driving wheel of a motor vehicle and the road

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traction Scientific  

/ trăk′shən /

1. Static friction, as of a wheel on a track or a tire on a road.

2. See more at friction

3. A sustained pulling force applied mechanically to a part of the body by means of a weighted apparatus in order to correct the position of fractured or dislocated bones, especially of the arm, leg, or neck.

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Other Word Forms

• nontraction
  noun
• tractional
  adjective
• tractive
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of traction

First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin tractiōn- (stem of tractiō ) “act of drawing,” equivalent to tract(us) (past participle of trahere “to draw, drag, pull”) + -iōn-; see -ion

Explanation

In medicine, traction is the act of pulling on bones or limbs in a certain way to help with healing. An arm in traction is temporarily tied up, but it is probably on the mend. A person in traction is presently immobile, but traction can also be used to describe the state of an object being pulled, or the friction between that object and the surface it is pulled across. Traction can also refer to something or someone that has picked up movement, like an idea or a candidate. If your idea for chocolate covered onions has gained traction, it is becoming popular; if it has lost traction, people have come to their senses.

Example Sentences

“Early traction suggests this opportunity is beginning to materialize,” Marshall wrote.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

“Land” regains traction when it returns to Ireland and to its mythic theme, which meanders from the Neolithic era to the 20th century, with detours to more fantastical regions.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

When a new format like micro-dramas starts to gain mainstream traction, social media platforms face pressure to adapt, said Joel Marlinarson, a social strategist and founder of marketing agency Coldest Creative.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

However, another metric investors were monitoring for AI traction fell flat.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

Clare’s hind legs scrabbled at the ground, fighting for traction.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• suction