1
: an act or instance of redacting something
2
: a work that has been redacted : edition, version

Did you know?

Here's a quiz for all you etymology buffs. Can you pick the words from the following list that come from the same Latin root?

A. redaction B. prodigal C. agent D. essay
E. navigate F. ambiguous

If you guessed all of them, you are right. Now, for bonus points, name the Latin root that they all have in common. If you knew that it is the verb agere, meaning to "to drive, lead, act, or do," you get an A+. Redaction is from the Latin verb redigere ("to bring back" or "to reduce"), which was formed by adding the prefix red- (meaning "back") to agere. Some other agere offspring include act, agenda, cogent, litigate, chasten, agile, and transact.

Examples of redaction in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On the other is Aaron Greenspan, founder of legal document website PlainSite, who argues more documents should be released, with fewer redactions. — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Both indictments, which were filed last month, were unsealed Wednesday with significant redactions. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 The state’s filings to the appeals court are not yet public and are awaiting redactions. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026 Start with the few labels that actually change what happens to a document—retention, access and redaction—and let everything else stay unclassified. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for redaction

Word History

Etymology

French rédaction, from Late Latin redaction-, redactio act of reducing, compressing, from Latin redigere to bring back, reduce, from re-, red- re- + agere to lead — more at agent

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of redaction was in 1785

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Cite this Entry

“Redaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redaction. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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