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
The new series is called Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner, and will see the Oscar winner retrace the 1903 Yosemite expedition of Teddy Roosevelt and environmental advocate John Muir through the American west.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Wisconsin Watch and ProPublica were able to verify the social media posts and the connections between the accounts by retracing the researchers’ steps through archived social media accounts and screenshots.
—Phoebe Petrovic, ProPublica, 25 Jan. 2025
In the months since the July 29 attack, the police and prosecutors have worked to retrace the steps leading up to the killing spree, which horrified Britain.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
The company was founded in 2002 by British archaeologist and documentary filmmaker Peter Sommer, who once walked 2,000 miles across Turkey from Troy, retracing the route of Alexander the Great.
—Everett Potter, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for retrace 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Wisconsin Watch and ProPublica were able to verify the social media posts and the connections between the accounts by retracing the researchers’ steps through archived social media accounts and screenshots.
—Phoebe Petrovic, ProPublica, 25 Jan. 2025
In the months since the July 29 attack, the police and prosecutors have worked to retrace the steps leading up to the killing spree, which horrified Britain.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
The company was founded in 2002 by British archaeologist and documentary filmmaker Peter Sommer, who once walked 2,000 miles across Turkey from Troy, retracing the route of Alexander the Great.
—Everett Potter, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for retrace
Dictionary Entries Near retrace
Cite this Entry
“Retrace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrace. Accessed 6 Feb. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share