Definition of "retract" []

• To take back; disavow: refused to retract the statement. (verb-transitive)
• To draw back or in: a plane retracting its landing gear. See Synonyms at recede1. (verb-transitive)
• Linguistics To utter (a sound) with the tongue drawn back. (verb-transitive)
• Linguistics To draw back (the tongue). (verb-transitive)
• To take something back or disavow it. (verb-intransitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Even if you later retract is and apologize, there are enough god-forsaken morons in this country who will keep repeating it as though it's gospel solely because they choose to believe it in order to confirm for themselves that the world does indeed work the way they wish it to."
• "Equally, the vendor can pull out if a better offer comes along, or if they retract from the market."
• "Life went on, my reputation as an evil pro prostitution member seemed to grown not retract from the scathing criticisms."