retract out

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "retract out" is not correct and is not commonly used in written English.
It is generally used incorrectly as "retract" already implies pulling back or withdrawing something, making "out" unnecessary. Example: "The company decided to retract its previous statement regarding the merger."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Jenkins began to work with Gibbs and hit upon an idea for wheels that would retract out of the water when the car became a boat to reduce drag and on a way to make the body itself both aero- and hydrodynamic.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Dr. Oransky estimated that every year roughly 1,400 scientific papers are retracted out of the two million to three million that are published.

The New York Times

The pipette was then held in place for approximately 5 minutes before completely retracting out of the brain.

Plosone

The intra-abdominal portion of the catheter was then gently retracted out of the abdomen using firm traction, taking care to leave 10 20 cm of wire in the peritoneum.

CKJ: Clinical Kidney Journal

If you wear glasses, look for binoculars with eye cups that retract or flip out of the way.

WikiHow

There were other such expressions of potential social and political disruption... only to come to a point, and rather limply to retract, to wimp-out, and to take to the easier choices of, essentially, selling out.

HuffPost

As the rod is retracted, it pulls out a thin filament, which is spun to create a film.

The Economist

It's one of those with a safety-slide thing at the side for retracting and bringing out the blade.

The New Yorker

It sounds good and retracts or pulls out easily so it doesn't get in the way.

TechCrunch

"At the next level, we have even less knowledge about how these cells connect, or how they're constantly reaching out, retracting or changing their strength".

BBC

The LCVP retracted and headed out to sea but then sighted another group on the beach.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "retract out". The word "retract" already means to draw back or withdraw, so adding "out" is redundant. Use "retract" alone for clarity and conciseness.

Common error

Don't add "out" after "retract". It is unnecessary and weakens your writing. Instead of saying, "The company decided to retract out their offer", simply say, "The company decided to retract their offer".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "retract out" is a verb phrase, though considered grammatically incorrect. It attempts to describe the action of withdrawing something. Ludwig identifies that it is not commonly used in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

35%

Wiki

35%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "retract out" appears in some contexts, including news and media, science, and wiki sources, it is considered grammatically incorrect. The word "retract" itself already implies the action of pulling back or withdrawing, making "out" redundant. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. It's best to use alternatives such as "withdraw" or "take back", or simply use "retract" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness. Avoid the common error of adding "out" after "retract" for more concise and effective writing. While there are examples of it in published writing, that does not make it correct.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

retract

This is the verb without the redundant "out".

withdraw

This alternative is a single word that means to pull back or retract.

take back

This alternative indicates the action of revoking something previously said or offered.

draw back

Implies a physical movement of pulling something or someone away.

pull back

Similar to draw back, but can also be used in a more figurative sense to mean retreat.

recede

This suggests a gradual movement backward or away.

unsay

Implies taking back something that has been said.

revoke

Refers to officially retracting a decree, permit or statement.

nullify

To make legally null and void.

repeal

To revoke or annul something officially

FAQs

Is it correct to say "retract out"?

No, the phrase "retract out" is redundant. The word "retract" already includes the meaning of pulling something back or withdrawing it. It's more correct to simply use "retract".

What does "retract" mean?

The word "retract" means to draw or pull something back in, or to withdraw a statement or promise. For example, a cat can retract its claws.

What can I say instead of "retract out"?

Better alternatives to "retract out" include "withdraw" or "take back", depending on the context. Using just "retract" is usually the most appropriate option.

How do I use "retract" in a sentence?

You can use "retract" in sentences like: "The newspaper had to retract the incorrect story" or "The turtle can retract its head into its shell".