retraer

Retraer is a Spanish verb meaning to pull back, retract, or withdraw. It is used for literal actions—retraer un miembro or a mechanical component—and for figurative uses, such as withdrawing a statement, funds, or a plan. The term appears in both technical and literary contexts.

Originating from re- (back) + traer (to bring), retraer conveys bringing something back toward its origin. It is distinct from atraer, which means to attract. The sense of withdrawal or drawing back is central across its uses, and the word can be more common in formal or technical language.

Conjugation follows regular -er verb patterns with some stem irregularities in the present and preterite. Present indicative: yo retraigo; tú retraes; él retrae; nosotros retraemos; vosotros retraéis; ellos retraen. Preterite: retraje, retrajiste, retrajo, retrajimos, retrajisteis, retrajeron. Imperfect: retraía, retraías, retraía, retraíamos, retraíais, retraían. Subjunctive present: retraiga, retraigas, retraiga, retraigamos, retraigáis, retraigan.

Usage notes and examples: Retraer is common in anatomy and engineering to describe drawing back a part; in finance or management to withdraw funds or positions; in rhetoric or documentation to withdraw or retract a statement, though retirar or rectificar are also used in such contexts. Examples: “El cirujano le indicó que debía retraer la lengua durante la exploración”; “La empresa decidió retraer sus inversiones”; “El perro retrajo las orejas ante el ruido.”