retreat
noun
the forced or strategic withdrawal of an army or an armed force before an enemy, or the withdrawing of a naval force from action.
retreating
-
present participleof retreat.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That was stronger than the data agency’s advance estimate of sales retreating 0.6% for the month, and builds on the 2.8% rise a month earlier.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
"Glaciers are retreating, permafrost and high-mountain slopes are becoming increasingly unstable, and communities and infrastructure downstream face growing risks from complex and cascading hazards," he said.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
“Oil prices remain supported by geopolitical risk, but they are retreating from elevated levels because traders are reassessing whether the actual physical impact justifies the earlier panic premium.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026
Yet, every day ends with him retreating to his cave in exhaustion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
The columns of retreating troops stretched out along the roads for miles.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
