Synonyms of retreating

retreating

verb

present participle of retreat

1

as in withdrawing

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 & Similar Words

• withdrawing
• retiring
• fleeing
• receding
• evacuating
• pulling out
• falling back
• giving way
• losing ground
• flying
• dropping back
• backing away
• leaving
• shrinking
• flinching
• recoiling
• detaching
• giving ground
• abandoning
• departing
• going
• vacating
• disengaging
• backtracking
• disentangling
• backpedaling
• climbing down
• pulling away
• quitting
• backing down
• bowing out
• chickening (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• advancing
• confronting
• facing
• daring
• defying
• breasting
• braving
• bearding
• brazening
• outbraving

2

as in fleeing

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 & Similar Words

• fleeing
• flying
• bolting
• escaping
• running
• breaking
• skedaddling
• running away
• beating a retreat
• running off
• beating it
• turning tail
• bugging out
• making tracks
• hightailing (it)
• decamping
• absconding
• scramming
• getting (away)
• eloping
• getting out
• skipping (out)
• making off
• scarpering
• clearing out
• lighting out
• lamming
• scatting
• mizzling
• skirring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confronting
• facing
• daring
• defying
• braving
• remaining
• staying
• lingering
• dwelling
• hanging around
• bearding
• abiding
• tarrying
• sticking around

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of retreating

French social media users criticized Mbappé for retreating on his comments. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 Oct. 2026

The pool is the best spot to take in the sunset before retreating to the open-air dining space for good eats and conversation. — Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 27 Oct. 2026

Director Mauri Pelto said this year's survey shows the fastest average retreat since 1950 with the collapse of several large ice caves, which form as warm air circulates in retreating glaciers. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Many have reacted by retreating, focusing on cultivating niche audiences. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Longtime collaborator Erik Blood foregrounds Butler’s dry drum machines in the mix, letting every other element shuffle around them, snaking toward the spotlight for a brief moment and retreating back into the brume. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026

Bank of America economist Aditya Bhave says the markets are testing the Fed's pain threshold with the Nasdaq retreating 5% and credit spreads flaring a bit. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026

Moriarty took some time during the book’s tour to tell us about the role destinations play in her work, how the television series’ vision of her book affected the sequel, and her top Sydney spots for writing and retreating. — Olivia Squire, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026

The pope paused for a moment and waved to the crowd before retreating into his apartment in the Apostolic Palace. — Colleen Barry, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026