retouch

American  

[ree-tuhch, ree-tuhch, ree-tuhch] / riˈtʌtʃ, ˈriˌtʌtʃ, riˈtʌtʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to improve with new touches, highlights, or the like; touch up or rework, as a painting or makeup.

2. Photography. to alter (a negative or positive) after development by adding or removing lines, lightening areas, etc., with a pencil, brush, or knife.

3. to dye, tint, or bleach (a new growth of hair) to match or blend with the color of an earlier and previously dyed growth.

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noun

1. an added touch to a picture, painting, paint job, etc., by way of improvement or alteration.

2. an act or instance of dyeing new growth of hair to blend with previously dyed hair.

retouch British  

/ riːˈtʌtʃ /

verb

1. to restore, correct, or improve (a painting, make-up, etc) with new touches

2. photog to alter (a negative or print) by painting over blemishes or adding details

3. to make small finishing improvements to

4. archaeol to detach small flakes from (a stone) in order to make a tool

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noun

1. the art or practice of retouching

2. a detail that is the result of retouching

3. a photograph, painting, etc, that has been retouched

4. archaeol fine percussion to shape flakes of stone into usable tools

Other Word Forms

• retouchable adjective
• retoucher noun
• unretouched adjective

Etymology

Origin of retouch

1675–85; < Middle French retoucher, equivalent to re- re- + toucher to touch

Example Sentences

It will be cleaned, and “where there have been small losses, they will fill those and retouch them.”

From New York Times • Mar. 2, 2023

The sponge tool, on the other hand, works to help retouch images by saturating or desaturating color, allowing users to fine-tune how vibrant their images and art look.

From The Verge • Dec. 14, 2021

"To actually retouch and change a child’s features, you’re basically saying you’re not good enough the way you are, so I’m going to pay to have you made better," Greene said.

From Fox News • Nov. 2, 2021

“When you want to retouch the painting, you must artificially age the pigment,” De Winter said.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2019

You could retouch the paint on the bathroom windowsill, and after you do it you could warn me so that I don’t put my watch on it.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri