Meaning & use
retraction
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Meanings
nouncountable
A formal statement in which someone says that something they previously said or published was wrong and should be withdrawn.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a retraction' or 'retractions'. Often followed by 'of': a retraction of the claim.
Patterns
- a retraction of something
- issue/publish a retraction
- demand a retraction
The newspaper printed a retraction of the story after the facts were checked.
The scientist was forced to issue a retraction of her earlier findings.
He demanded a retraction of the accusation, but none came.
noununcountabletechnical
The act of pulling something back or in, especially a part of the body or a machine part.
Grammar: Uncountable when talking about the process or action; not used with 'a'.
Patterns
- retraction of something
- the retraction mechanism
The retraction of the landing gear took only a few seconds.
Muscle retraction can occur after an injury.
Word forms
| plural | retractions |
|---|
Common combinations
- issue a retraction
- The magazine had to issue a retraction after the error was discovered.
- demand a retraction
- The politician demanded a retraction of the false statement.
- publish a retraction
- The journal decided to publish a retraction of the paper.
- full retraction
- They offered a full retraction and an apology.
- retraction of a claim
- The retraction of his claim came too late to undo the damage.
Synonyms and how they differ
- withdrawal
- Withdrawal is more general and can refer to taking back anything (an offer, a statement, an application); retraction is mostly used for public statements or published claims.
- denial
- A denial says that something is not true; a retraction admits that something you said was wrong and takes it back.
- recantation
- Recantation is formal and often used when someone publicly gives up a belief or opinion, especially in a religious or political context; retraction is more neutral and common in journalism.
Word family
- retract verb
- To take back a statement or to pull something in.
- retractable adjective
- Able to be pulled back or in, as a retractable roof.
- retractor noun
- A device or instrument that pulls something back, especially in surgery.
Commonly confused: retraction or retraction?
retraction vs retraction
Not to be confused with 'retraction' in the sense of a physical pulling back; the main meaning in news and academic writing is the formal withdrawal of a statement.
Practice
The journal published a ______ of the article after the data were found to be false.
Choose one answer.
The sentence needs a noun after 'a', so 'retraction' is correct. 'Retract' is a verb, 'retracted' is a past tense verb or adjective, and 'retracting' is a present participle, none of which fit after 'a'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “retraction”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.