retreat

play

noun re·treat \ ri-ˈtrēt \

Definition of retreat

1 a (1) :an act or process of withdrawing especially from what is difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable

(2) :the process of receding from a position or state attained

the retreat of a glacier

b (1) :the usually forced withdrawal of troops from an enemy or from an advanced position

(2) :a signal for retreating

c (1) :a signal given by bugle at the beginning of a military flag-lowering ceremony

(2) :a military flag-lowering ceremony

2 :a place of privacy or safety :refuge

3 :a period of group withdrawal for prayer, meditation, study, or instruction under a director

See retreat defined for English-language learners

See retreat defined for kids

Examples of retreat in a Sentence

Some of her friends were surprised by her retreat from public life following her defeat in the election.
we made a strategic retreat when we realized that we were outnumbered

Recent Examples of retreat from the Web

Actual deaths in the ring, most notably Benny Paret in 1962 and Kim Duk Koo in 1982, both on live television, caused temporary public retreats.

— nancy kidder, The Atlantic, "Four Ways of Looking at Mayweather vs. McGregor," 25 Aug. 2017
There are group retreat experiences at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

— perri ormont blumberg, Bon Appetit, "8 Ideas for a Healthyish Bachelorette Party Weekend," 8 Aug. 2017
On Wednesday, Anthem Inc. threatened to hasten its retreat from Obamacare’s marketplaces unless the government makes a firm commitment to fund the program.

— anna edney, Bloomberg.com, "‘Skinny’ Obamacare Repeal Kills Mandate Insurers Already See as Letdown," 27 July 2017
Hearing rumors that people were making out on the bus the entire way to summer youth retreat.

— hannah smothers, Cosmopolitan, "20 Things Christian Girls Remember SO Hard," 25 July 2017
The back patio is a solid retreat: Grab a drink, take a seat on one of the benches, and wait out the cacophony inside.

— marielle wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, "Best of LA: 92 of Our Favorite Things to Eat, Do, and Buy Right Now," 14 July 2017
The reasons for that grim retreat include the fragmentation of some school districts, the release of others from judicial oversight and court decisions that chilled integration drives.

— The Economist, "Separate and unequalAn ingenious bid to force improvements in Mississippi schools," 13 July 2017
Yet while this week’s retreat on a measure McConnell wrote behind closed doors dented his reputation as a consummate legislative seer, no one was counting him out.

— erica werner, The Seattle Times, "Little progress evident as GOP hunts health bill votes," 28 June 2017
McConnell's final announcement of retreat at the Tuesday lunch was typically understated.

— chicagotribune.com, "Division and mistrust undercut Senate push on health care bill," 28 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'retreat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of retreat

Middle English retret, from Anglo-French retrait, from past participle of retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere, from re- + trahere to draw

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

retreat Synonyms

Synonyms

pullback, pullout, recession, retirement, withdrawal

Antonyms

advance, advancement

Related Words

rout; flinch, recoil, revulsion, shrinking; disengagement, disentanglement

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

retreat

verb

Definition of retreat

intransitive verb

1 :to make a retreat :withdraw

2 :to slope backward

transitive verb

:to draw or lead back :remove; specifically :to move (a piece) back in chess

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retreater

noun

See retreat defined for English-language learners

Examples of retreat in a Sentence

When the enemy attacked, our troops were forced to retreat.
They retreated behind trees for safety.
He quickly retreated from the room.
After her defeat, she retreated from politics.

Recent Examples of retreat from the Web

By retreating to the seclusion of Camp David in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains, Trump was taking an opportunity to regroup after a politically bruising week of criticism of his response to the deadly protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.

— robert burns, chicagotribune.com, "Trump reviews options with national security team for new strategy for Afghan war," 18 Aug. 2017
By retreating to the seclusion of Camp David in Maryland’s Catoctin Mountains, Trump was taking an opportunity to regroup after a politically bruising week of criticism of his response to the deadly protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.

— Washington Post, "Trump studying options for new approach to Afghan war," 18 Aug. 2017
In 2004, Twain stopped performing and retreated to the family's estate in Switzerland to escape the spotlight.

— samantha drake, Country Living, "Shania Twain's Greatest Heartbreak Fueled Her New Album," 2 Aug. 2017
These day-trippers inundate the town, see the marquee attractions, do some shopping, then retreat to their home bases.

— rick steves' europe, The Seattle Times, "Finding ‘back doors’ in today’s Europe," 1 Aug. 2017
Crossovers may dominate in sales, but an affordable, efficient four-door sedan with a chassis and powertrain that don’t retreat at the first sign of spirited driving remains a universal target in the car biz.

— andrew wendler, Car and Driver, "2018 Honda Accord: Major Changes for the 10th-Generation Best Seller," 17 July 2017
Amid this carnage, ten pilgrims—three men and seven women—retreat to a country villa and agree to spend ten days regaling one another with ten stories a day.

— j.r. jones, Chicago Reader, "Medieval nuns own their pleasure in The Little Hours," 13 July 2017
After a moment longer, my great-grandmother puts her broom away, retreats back into the house.

— karissa chen, Longreads, "My Grandfather’s Fateful Goodbye, Reimagined," 8 July 2017
Even in the earlier battle for East Mosul, IS fighters ceded one neighbourhood after another, and retreated west over the Tigris and onto Syria.

— The Economist, "Islamic State nears its end," 5 July 2017

First Known Use of retreat

15th century

retreat Synonyms

Synonyms

back away, drop back, fall back, pull out, recede, retire, withdraw, give ground, give way, lose ground

Antonyms

advance

Related Words

flee, fly; flinch, recoil, shrink; chicken (out); bow out; back down, backpedal, backtrack, climb down; detach, disengage, disentangle, pull away; abandon, depart, evacuate, go, leave, quit, vacate

Near Antonyms

beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave

Synonym Discussion of retreat

recede, retreat, retract, back mean to move backward. recede implies a gradual withdrawing from a forward or high fixed point in time or space.

- the flood waters gradually receded

retreat implies withdrawal from a point or position reached.

- retreating soldiers

retract implies drawing back from an extended position.

- a cat retracting its claws

back is used with up, down, out, or off to refer to any retrograde motion.

- backed off on the throttle

RETREAT Defined for English Language Learners

retreat

play

noun

Definition of retreat for English Language Learners

: movement by soldiers away from an enemy because the enemy is winning or has won a battle
: movement away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc.
: the act of changing your opinion or position on something because it is unpopular

retreat

verb

Definition of retreat for English Language Learners

: to move back to get away from danger, attack, etc.
: to move or go away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc.
: to change your opinion or statement about something because it is unpopular

RETREAT Defined for Kids

retreat

play

noun re·treat \ ri-ˈtrēt \

Definition of retreat for Students

1 :an act of going back or away especially from something dangerous, difficult, or disagreeable

The enemy is in retreat.

2 :a military signal for turning away from the enemy

He sounded the retreat.

3 :a place of privacy or safety

a mountain retreat

4 :a period of time in which a person goes away to pray, think quietly, or study

retreat

verb

Definition of retreat for Students

retreated; retreating

1 :to move back or away especially from something dangerous, difficult, or disagreeable

The troops retreated at nightfall.

2 :to go to a place of privacy or safety The family retreated to their summer home.

Law Dictionary

retreat

noun re·treat

legal Definition of retreat

:the act or process of withdrawing from a dangerous situation

Note: Many jurisdictions require that a person must have at least attempted a retreat, if it was possible to do so with safety, in order for a defense of self-defense to prevail. Retreat from an attack in one's own home, however, is usually not required.

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