- 1extract something (from somebody/something) to remove or obtain a substance from something, for example by using an industrial or a chemical process a machine that extracts excess moisture from the air to extract essential oils from plants
Want to learn more?
Find out which words work together and produce more natural sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app.
- 2extract something (from somebody/something) to obtain information, money, etc., often by taking it from someone who is unwilling to give it Journalists managed to extract all kinds of information about her private life.
- 3extract something (from somebody/something) to choose information, etc. from a book, a computer, etc. to be used for a particular purpose This article is extracted from his new book.
- 4extract something (from somebody/something) (formal or technology) to take or pull something out, especially when this needs force or effort The dentist may decide that the wisdom teeth need to be extracted. He rifled through his briefcase and extracted a file.
- 5extract something (from somebody/something) (formal) to get a particular feeling or quality from a situation synonym derive They are unlikely to extract much benefit from the trip.
verb jump to other results
NAmE//ɪkˈstrækt//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they extract he / she / it extracts
past simple extracted
-ing form extracting
Check pronunciation: extract