extract

extract — verb

1. to take a substance or object out of something else, usually by pulling, pressin

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to take a substance or object out of something else, usually by pulling, pressing, or using a chemical or mechanical process

Example

The dentist extracted the damaged tooth without causing too much pain.

extract + tooth (medical extraction of a body part)

The laboratory technician extracted oil from lavender flowers using steam distillation.

extract + from + [source] (chemical extraction process)

Common collocations
  • extract a tooth
  • extract oil
  • extract ore
  • extract juice
  • extract from
Synonyms
  • remove

    more general; does not imply a method or effort

  • withdraw

    suggests pulling back from a position; more formal and less physical

  • take out

    informal; used for everyday removal without special effort

Antonyms
  • insert

    to put something into something else

  • add

    to put something in, making it part of a whole

Grammar Patterns

extract + noun + from + noun phrase

Usage Note

Object is usually something embedded, dissolved, or physically contained inside another substance. Commonly used with the preposition 'from' to indicate the source.

Common Mistakes

The chef extracted the cake from the oven.
The chef took the cake out of the oven.
'extract' is not used for simple everyday removal; it implies effort, skill, or a specific process.

2. to get information, money, or an agreement from someone by applying pressure, th

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to get information, money, or an agreement from someone by applying pressure, threats, or persistent effort when they are unwilling to give it

Example

The police failed to extract a confession from the suspect despite hours of questioning.

extract a confession (collocation in legal context)

The journalist managed to extract a promise from the politician to address the issue.

Common collocations
  • extract a confession
  • extract a promise
  • extract information
  • extract the truth
Synonyms
  • wring

    more forceful imagery; suggests twisting or squeezing

  • elicit

    more neutral; draws out a response without necessarily implying force

  • squeeze

    informal; suggests getting something with difficulty

Antonyms
  • give up

    to voluntarily provide what was being demanded

  • offer

    to present willingly without pressure

Grammar Patterns

extract + noun + from + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often used in legal, investigative, or negotiation contexts. The object is typically intangible — a confession, promise, information, or agreement. The subject is usually a person or institution in a position of authority.

Common Mistakes

I extracted a gift from my friend for my birthday.
I persuaded my friend to give me a gift for my birthday.
'extract' implies unwillingness or resistance from the giver, not simple asking.
I extracted a book from the library.
I borrowed a book from the library.
'extract' is not used for routine borrowing.

3. to choose and copy a short piece of writing from a book, article, or document in

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to choose and copy a short piece of writing from a book, article, or document in order to use or cite it in your own work

Example

The student extracted several key paragraphs from the research paper for her essay.

extract + from + [written work] (for citation)

The author extracted a short chapter from his novel for a literary magazine.

Common collocations
  • extract a passage
  • extract a paragraph
  • extract text
  • extract from a document
Synonyms
  • quote

    to reproduce someone's exact words, often with credit

  • cite

    to refer to a source as evidence, not necessarily reproducing the words

  • excerpt

    to take a selected passage; slightly more formal

Antonyms
  • paraphrase

    to restate an idea in your own words rather than copying directly

  • omit

    to leave out, not include

Grammar Patterns

extract + noun + from + noun phrase

Usage Note

The extracted material is typically a relatively short passage used to support an argument or illustrate a point. Distinguish from verb sense 1 (physically removing something) — this sense is about selecting text, not taking a physical object.

Common Mistakes

I extracted the whole chapter into my notebook.
I copied the whole chapter into my notebook.
'extract' suggests selecting a shorter, specific passage, not a full reproduction.

extract — noun

Word family

  • extraction
    nounB2
  • extractor
    nounC1
  • extractable
    adjectiveC1
  • extractive
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe taking something away or out of somewhere, but they differ in effort and context. 'Extract' implies a deliberate process, often requiring skill, force, or a specific method — a dentist extracts a tooth, but you would not extract a book from a bag. 'Remove' is the most general and neutral; it works for almost any situation without implying anything about how something is taken away. 'Withdraw' suggests pulling back from a position or taking out something that was placed deliberately, like withdrawing money from a bank or withdrawing a hand from a pocket. 'Take out' is the informal, everyday alternative used in conversation — you take out the trash, take out your phone, or take out a pencil. In writing, choose 'extract' when the process matters, 'remove' for neutral statements, 'withdraw' for formal or deliberate removal, and 'take out' for casual speech.

extract ↗remove ↗withdraw ↗take out ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • extract from a source
  • extract by force
  • extract for analysis

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'extract' comes from Latin 'extractus', meaning 'drawn out'. It is formed from the prefix 'ex-' (out, away) and 'trahere' (to pull, to draw). English borrowed the word through French in the 15th century, first as a verb meaning 'to draw out', then later as a noun referring to something that has been drawn out, such as a concentrated substance or a selected passage.