Retraction

n.	1.	The act of retracting, or drawing back; the state of being retracted; as, the retraction of a cat's claws.
	2.	The act of withdrawing something advanced, stated, claimed, or done; declaration of change of opinion; recantation. Other men's insatiable desire of revenge hath wholly beguiled both church and state of the benefit of all my either retractions or concessions. - Eikon Basilike.
	3.	(Physiol.) The act of retracting or shortening; as, the retraction of a severed muscle; the retraction of a sinew.

Noun	1.	retraction - a disavowal or taking back of a previous assertion Synonyms: abjuration, recantation
	2.	retraction - the act of pulling or holding or drawing a part back; "the retraction of the landing gear"; "retraction of the foreskin"

abandonment, abjuration, abjurement, abolishment, abolition, abrogation, absolute contradiction, annulment, attrition, cancel, canceling, cancellation, cassation, cession, contradiction, contrary assertion, contravention, controversion, countering, countermand, counterorder, crossing, curtailment, cut, cutting, decrease, decrement, defeasance, denial, depletion, depreciation, derogation, detraction, diminution, dip, disaffirmation, disallowance, disavowal, disclaimer, disclamation, disowning, disownment, disparagement, dispensation, disposal, disposition, disproof, dumping, expatriation, extraction, forgoing, forswearing, gainsaying, getting rid of, giving up, impairment, impugnment, invalidation, lessening, letting go, nullification, palinode, palinody, recall, recantation, recedence, receding, recession, reduction, refutation, release, relinquishment, remission, renege, reneging, renouncement, renunciation, repeal, repudiation, rescinding, rescindment, rescission, resignation, retirement, retractation, retractility, retreat, retrenchment, retrocedence, reversal, revocation, revoke, revokement, riddance, sacrifice, setting aside, shortening, shrinkage, surrender, suspension, swearing off, truncation, unsaying, vacation, vacatur, voidance, voiding, waiver, waiving, withdrawal, write-off, yielding