retreat

1 to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable) we retreated to the safety of the cellar at the first sign of the tornado Synonyms back away, drop back, fall back, pull out, recede, retire, withdraw 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 Phrases give ground, give way, lose ground Near Antonyms beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave Antonyms advance

2 to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening the untried soldiers retreated in humiliating disarray almost as soon as the enemy's onslaught began Synonyms bolt, break, bug out, flee, fly, hightail (it), run, run away, run off, skedaddleRelated Words abscond, clear out, decamp, elope, escape, get (away), get out, lam, light out, make off, mizzle [chiefly British], scarper [British], scat, scram, skip (out), skirrNear Antonyms beard, brave, confront, dare, defy, face; abide, dwell, hang around, linger, remain, stay, stick around, tarry