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extract

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noun

as in excerpt
a part taken from a longer work the anthology includes a long extract from the epic poem

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb extract contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of extract are educe, elicit, evoke, and extort. While all these words mean "to draw out something hidden, latent, or reserved," extract implies the use of force or pressure in obtaining answers or information.

extracted a confession from him

When would educe be a good substitute for extract?

The meanings of educe and extract largely overlap; however, educe implies the bringing out of something potential or latent.

educed order out of chaos

When is elicit a more appropriate choice than extract?

Although the words elicit and extract have much in common, elicit usually implies some effort or skill in drawing forth a response.

careful questioning elicited the truth

When can evoke be used instead of extract?

The words evoke and extract can be used in similar contexts, but evoke implies a strong stimulus that arouses an emotion or an interest or recalls an image or memory.

a song that evokes warm memories

In what contexts can extort take the place of extract?

The words extort and extract are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, extort suggests a wringing or wresting from one who resists strongly.

extorted their cooperation by threatening to inform

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of extract
Verb
Once the minerals are extracted, they are processed on land. Simmone Shah, Time, 16 Apr. 2025 But the company is still working on the processing technology to extract minerals from the rocks, Ballard said. Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
This chic hand lotion duo is packed with nourishing ingredients like shea butter, apricot kernel, and sage extract—and leaves behind the fresh, delicate scent of a perfectly ripe pear. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025 Add strawberry extract, an expensive and hard-to-find ingredient, and your cake will taste more like a scented Strawberry Shortcake doll than the real deal. Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for extract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extract
Noun
  • The new trailer shows Smothers reading an excerpt from her book to a live audience when Nelson marches in.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Check out the cover below and read on for more from Lord, as well as an exclusive excerpt.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees.
    Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
  • The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together.
    Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • The White Sox used it last winter to make a significant addition, plucking right-hander Shane Smith from Milwaukee.
    Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • That September, Kyle invited the team to an annual party with a few hundred of his friends, while producers plucked potential talent from the crowd.
    Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Kelly, the lifeguard, jumped off her perch and yanked Harel back, toward the lockers, by the hair.
    Adam Levin, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2025
  • And when he’s actually pulled away and thrown into the back of a cab, Kilmer’s exit is as unceremonious as a cable yanked out from an amp, leaving viewers drifting along the film’s woozy currents.
    Beatrice Loayza, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Extract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extract. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on extract

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