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
And so the conflict between love, on one side, and faith, family, and tradition reignites, in a season that retraces the arc of its predecessor—and especially its finale—a bit too closely.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Cruise line Holland America and Pan American World Airways are teaming up to offer a 28-day cruise to the Caribbean and Latin America that retraces the original flying Clipper routes.
—Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
To record these stories—and render a portrait of the world’s wealthiest dirtbag—Gelles retraced Chouinard’s many journeys across his 86 years.
—Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
Jasanoff retraced some of Conrad’s epic journeys, which inspired me to redo the expedition Matthiessen describes in The Snow Leopard.
—Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrace
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Judy Berman, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Cruise line Holland America and Pan American World Airways are teaming up to offer a 28-day cruise to the Caribbean and Latin America that retraces the original flying Clipper routes.
—Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
To record these stories—and render a portrait of the world’s wealthiest dirtbag—Gelles retraced Chouinard’s many journeys across his 86 years.
—Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Oct. 2025
Jasanoff retraced some of Conrad’s epic journeys, which inspired me to redo the expedition Matthiessen describes in The Snow Leopard.
—Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 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 31 Oct. 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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