retreat

[ ri-treet ]

/ rɪˈtrit /

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See synonyms for: retreat / re-treated / re-treating / re-treats on Thesaurus.com

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.

the act of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement; seclusion.

a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy: The library was his retreat.

an asylum, as for the insane.

a retirement or a period of retirement for religious exercises and meditation.

Military.

a flag-lowering ceremony held at sunset on a military post.
the bugle call or drumbeat played at this ceremony.

the recession of a surface, as a wall or panel, from another surface beside it.

verb (used without object)

to withdraw, retire, or draw back, especially for shelter or seclusion.

to make a retreat: The army retreated.

to slope backward; recede: a retreating chin.

to draw or lead back.

OTHER WORDS FOR retreat

2 departure, withdrawal.

3 shelter.

8 leave, pull back.

See synonyms for retreat on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR retreat

1 advance.

8, 9 engage, advance.

See antonyms for retreat on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about retreat

beat a retreat, to withdraw or retreat, especially hurriedly or in disgrace.

Origin of retreat

1300–50; (noun) Middle English retret<Old French, variant of retrait, noun use of past participle of retraire to draw back <Latin retrahere (re-re- + trahere to draw; see retract¹); (v.) late Middle English retreten<Middle French retraitier<Latin retractāre to retract²

synonym study for retreat

8. See depart.

OTHER WORDS FROM retreat

re·treat·al, adjectivere·treat·er, nounre·treat·ive, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH retreat

re-treat, retreat

Other definitions for retreat (2 of 2)

re-treat

[ ree-treet ]

/ riˈtrit /

verb (used with or without object)

to treat again.

Origin of re-treat

First recorded in 1880–85; re- + treat

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH re-treat

re-treat , retreat

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use retreat in a sentence

She showed up late and confused to her first silent retreat, but Caverly Morgan eventually trained for eight years in silence at a Zen monastery.
“I Am Not This Voice. I Am Not This Narrative.” | People I (Mostly) Admire Ep. 7: Caverly Morgan|Steven D. Levitt|November 14, 2020|Freakonomics
“A shameful retreat,” Bob Perciasepe, a former top Environmental Protection Agency official and president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, called the move in an email.
As U.S. leaves Paris accord, climate policy hangs on election outcome|Brady Dennis, Juliet Eilperin, Dino Grandoni|November 5, 2020|Washington Post
Her retreat was a significant victory for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Susan Collins Backed Down From a Fight with Private Equity. Now They’re Underwriting Her Reelection.|by Justin Elliott, ProPublica, and Theodoric Meyer, Politico|October 29, 2020|ProPublica
An exception to the retreat was a jump in lending to small businesses driven by the federal Payroll Protection Program that guaranteed loans to employers that kept their workers employed.
How JPMorgan Chase is proceeding with extreme caution—and still making plenty of money|Shawn Tully|October 14, 2020|Fortune

The retreat of North America’s ice sheets in the latter years of the last ice age may have begun with “catastrophic” losses of ice into the North Pacific Ocean along the coast of modern-day British Columbia and Alaska, scientists say.
Large-scale changes in Earth’s climate may originate in the Pacific|Gloria Dickie|October 8, 2020|Science News
Hamdan also appears to be retreating when the lethal shot is fired.
A New Intifada? Israel’s Arab Citizen Uprising Spreads|Creede Newton|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For retreating in 1999, Sharif was overthrown in a coup by the army commander, Pervez Musharraf, who had planned the Kargil War.
ICYMI: India-Pakistan Head for Nuke War|Bruce Riedel|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The throng took a collective breath before retreating back behind their office doors.
Inside a Hospital for the Criminally Insane|Caitlin Dickson|September 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And President Obama has caused more carnage in Iraq by retreating than other presidents caused by invading.
Up to a Point: Shrugging Our Way Back to War in Iraq|P. J. O’Rourke|August 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This was the rear guard of an army that lost a battle, firing one last volley before retreating.
McDaniel Supporters Allege Fundraising Violations by NRSC|Ben Jacobs|July 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Perry Thomas parted from us at the gate, and we stood watching his retreating figure till we lost it at the bend.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
He was a Roman general who was very famous for his ability in retreating, and getting out of an enemy's way.
The Nursery, July 1873, Vol. XIV. No. 1|Various
Kerry glared after the retreating figures for a moment, and a grin of fierce satisfaction revealed his gleaming teeth.
Dope|Sax Rohmer
Into the houses, and behind every garden fence and hedge, the retreating Federals gathered.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
"He couldn't have meant that," she murmured, as she looked at his retreating figure until it was out of sight.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn

British Dictionary definitions for retreat

retreat

/ (rɪˈtriːt) /

verb (mainly intr)

military to withdraw or retire in the face of or from action with an enemy, either due to defeat or in order to adopt a more favourable position

to retire or withdraw, as to seclusion or shelter

(of a person's features) to slope back; recede

(tr) chess to move (a piece) back

noun

the act of retreating or withdrawing

military

a withdrawal or retirement in the face of the enemy
a bugle call signifying withdrawal or retirement, esp (formerly) to within a defended fortification

retirement or seclusion

a place, such as a sanatorium or monastery, to which one may retire for refuge, quiet, etc

a period of seclusion, esp for religious contemplation

an institution, esp a private one, for the care and treatment of people who are mentally ill, infirm, elderly, etc

Word Origin for retreat

C14: from Old French retret, from retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere to pull back; see retract

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with retreat

retreat

see beat a retreat.

retreat

OTHER WORDS FOR retreat

OPPOSITES FOR retreat

Idioms about retreat

Origin of retreat

synonym study for retreat

OTHER WORDS FROM retreat

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH retreat

Other definitions for retreat (2 of 2)

Origin of re-treat

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH re-treat

Words related to retreat

How to use retreat in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for retreat

Word Origin for retreat

Other Idioms and Phrases with retreat