retrace

[ ri-treys ]

verb (used with object)

, re·traced, re·trac·ing.

1. to trace backward; go back over:

   to retrace one's steps.

2. to go back over with the memory.
3. to go over again with the sight or attention.
4. re-trace.

retrace

/ rɪˈtreɪs /

verb

1. to go back over (one's steps, a route, etc) again

   we retraced the route we took last summer

2. to go over (a past event) in the mind; recall
3. to go over (a story, account, etc) from the beginning

Derived Forms

• reˈtracement, noun
• reˈtraceable, adjective

Other Words From

• re·tracea·ble adjective
• re·tracement noun
• nonre·tracea·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of retrace¹

1690–1700; < French retracer, Middle French retracier, equivalent to re- re- + tracier to trace ¹

Example Sentences

And I’m tracking them, trying to retrace their steps.

From Los Angeles Times

Parts of the Pope's trip, which was originally scheduled in 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic, will retrace the steps of St John Paul II, who also visited the four nations during his 27-year pontificate.

From BBC

Whenever I retrace our steps to try to find the missing bag, some kind soul has already picked it up for proper deposit.

From Seattle Times

I can’t explain exactly why I felt the need to retrace her steps.

From Los Angeles Times

Along a front of some 250 miles, German soldiers did an about-face and started to retrace their steps over ground won in bitter fighting during the previous two weeks.

From Literature