retrace
verb
re·trace
(ˌ)rē-ˈtrās 
retraced; retracing
: to trace (something) again or back: such as
a
: to go over or along (something, such as a course or path) again often in a reverse direction
The hikers retraced the path back to the cabin.
… an expedition that retraced Theodore Roosevelt's route along a Brazilian river …—
Warren E. Leary
Warren E. LearyHe found his phone by retracing his steps/footsteps.
b
: to go over (something) again in memory : recall
Then she'd retrace memories of her mother, reminiscence, and find enough good things to bring joy back into her life …—Katherine Jones
Katherine Jones
c
: to discover the origin or early history of (something) by going back over previous steps
retrace (the origin of) a word to German
d
: to follow, study, or present (something) in detail or step by step
But there's also a new exhibition in the city that retraces the roots of the Italian fashion industry.—Patrick Boehler
Patrick BoehlerLet us retrace his argument.—José Eduardo González
José Eduardo González
e
: to write or draw (something, such as a letter or line) again
children tracing and retracing the alphabet
especially
: to write or draw directly over and following along (an existing line, letter, etc.)
The penciled shapes were retraced with black marker.
The challenge: Connect nine dots, arrayed in three rows of three, using four straight lines without retracing a line or lifting the pen. —Adam Piore
Adam Piore Examples of retrace in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Read More: Scientists Have Finally Mapped the Entire Human Genome
Looking Backward
Masel led a team of scientists in retracing how and when new amino acid words emerged over time.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 23 Jan. 2025
Trembling, Rippy retraced her steps to the living room.
—Michael Gordon, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025
The director Sean Baker and his location manager retraced their steps.
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Piñata Prayers | Dir. Daniel Larios; 2025; USA, El Salvador; 24 min
Breaking down the colonial tradition of piñatas, this personal film probes into a loss of faith while retracing a family history.
—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrace
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Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 23 Jan. 2025
Trembling, Rippy retraced her steps to the living room.
—Michael Gordon, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025
The director Sean Baker and his location manager retraced their steps.
—Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Piñata Prayers | Dir. Daniel Larios; 2025; USA, El Salvador; 24 min
Breaking down the colonial tradition of piñatas, this personal film probes into a loss of faith while retracing a family history.
—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrace
Cite this Entry
“Retrace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrace. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
retrace
verb
re·trace
(ˌ)rē-ˈtrās
retraced; retracing
1
: to write or draw again or directly over
retraced the letters
2
: to go over (as a route) again or in a reverse direction
3
: to follow, study, or present in detail or in steps
4
: recall
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