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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of retreating
When hunger calls, head to Osteria del Sotto Sale for fresh seafood and pasta before retreating to Dimora dell'Olivastro, a tranquil guesthouse set among olive groves.
—
Nicky Swallow, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
And the country’s disconnection from the regime comes as Putin has removed himself from public life, literally retreating into a bunker.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Shares in Europe are tracking Asian markets' overnight declines after South Korea's benchmark Kospi index slid more than 6% on Friday, retreating from a fresh record high above 8,000, as broader Asia-Pacific markets fell.
—Hugh Leask,joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 15 May 2026
Also like last fall, The Voice will launch on two nights, Monday and Tuesday, before retreating to Mondays a couple of weeks in when NBA, plus baseball playoffs, take over Tuesday.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 May 2026
Miller took the setback in stride, retreating to craft new restrictions on migration that used laws designed to protect the nation from disease to cut refugee admissions and block asylum seekers after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
That deadlock prompted an unusually long recess of nearly 90 minutes that was followed by a 6-0 vote in favor of retreating on the bus stops.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Many of them have been linked to retreating glaciers, as melting ice destabilizes the mountains and land that had been covered for centuries.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Alaska Time would have awoken them as the north fjord wall crumbled just in front of the retreating tongue of the South Sawyer Glacier.
—Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Nicky Swallow, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
And the country’s disconnection from the regime comes as Putin has removed himself from public life, literally retreating into a bunker.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Shares in Europe are tracking Asian markets' overnight declines after South Korea's benchmark Kospi index slid more than 6% on Friday, retreating from a fresh record high above 8,000, as broader Asia-Pacific markets fell.
—Hugh Leask,joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 15 May 2026
Also like last fall, The Voice will launch on two nights, Monday and Tuesday, before retreating to Mondays a couple of weeks in when NBA, plus baseball playoffs, take over Tuesday.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 May 2026
Miller took the setback in stride, retreating to craft new restrictions on migration that used laws designed to protect the nation from disease to cut refugee admissions and block asylum seekers after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
That deadlock prompted an unusually long recess of nearly 90 minutes that was followed by a 6-0 vote in favor of retreating on the bus stops.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026
Many of them have been linked to retreating glaciers, as melting ice destabilizes the mountains and land that had been covered for centuries.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Alaska Time would have awoken them as the north fjord wall crumbled just in front of the retreating tongue of the South Sawyer Glacier.
—Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retreating
Verb
-
Trump has also floated the possibility of withdrawing from NATO and threatened to pull troops from Germany, Italy, and Spain.—
Tiago Ventura,
Time,
8 May 2026
-
Trump’s Gaza plan, which Israel and Hamas agreed to in October, involves Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza and reconstruction starting as Hamas lays down its weapons.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
In December 2025, a man was shot in the leg during a fight, with the shooter fleeing the scene.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
The organization, known by its French acronym MSF, reported treating over 40 gunshot victims within 12 hours while providing temporary shelter to 800 people fleeing the violence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The plan also describes major changes to the fleet, such as adding many autonomous ships, buying new submarines, and retiring older aircraft carriers and submarines.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
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While the San Francisco 49ers rookies practiced Friday, Williams was busy on the far north side of the field, doing side-to-side movements and working with resistance bands for 35 minutes before retiring to the team’s weight room.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Other things flying up include flexible repair patches for sealing the space station’s hull, a replacement ultrasonic inspection tool, spare units for the station’s vibration monitoring system and parts to improve water processing and oxygen generation.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
The pair got the gold-star treatment from some European designers, with Chanel flying them over to attend the fall show and to dine privately with Karl Lagerfeld.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The trick is integrating them during the remodel, rather than bolting them on after a fall.—
Amy Kunst,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
-
None bigger than the bombshell on April 28 that this OPEC stalwart for nearly 60 years is bolting.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The scientist told me repeatedly of escaping to the ship’s deck and surrounding himself with the openness of the ocean, the beauty of volcanic islands, the whales, the dolphins, the flying fish, and, above all, the seabirds.—
Akash Kapur,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
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Mott’s criminal record includes charges of burglary, criminal trespassing, criminal mischief and escaping from custody or a detention facility, according to online records.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
Verb
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In Nebraska, Dan Osborn, a veteran and a former union leader at a Kellogg’s plant, is running as an independent.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
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Jules is the gatekeeper of Briar gossip, running the Fifth Line social media account.—
Jennifer McClellan,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retreating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retreating. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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