retreat

[ ri-treet ]

noun

1. the forced or strategic withdrawal of an army or an armed force before an enemy, or the withdrawing of a naval force from action.

   Antonyms: advance

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

   Synonyms: withdrawal, departure

3. a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy:

   The library was his retreat.

   Synonyms: shelter

4. an asylum, as for the insane.
5. a retirement or a period of retirement for religious exercises and meditation.
6. Military.
   1. a flag-lowering ceremony held at sunset on a military post.
   2. the bugle call or drumbeat played at this ceremony.
7. the recession of a surface, as a wall or panel, from another surface beside it.

verb (used without object)

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

   Synonyms: leave

   Antonyms: advance, engage

2. to make a retreat:

   The army retreated.

   Antonyms: advance, engage

3. to slope backward; recede:

   a retreating chin.

4. to draw or lead back.

retreat

/ rɪˈtriːt /

verb

1. 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
2. to retire or withdraw, as to seclusion or shelter
3. (of a person's features) to slope back; recede
4. tr chess to move (a piece) back

noun

1. the act of retreating or withdrawing
2. military
   1. a withdrawal or retirement in the face of the enemy
   2. a bugle call signifying withdrawal or retirement, esp (formerly) to within a defended fortification
3. retirement or seclusion
4. a place, such as a sanatorium or monastery, to which one may retire for refuge, quiet, etc
5. a period of seclusion, esp for religious contemplation
6. an institution, esp a private one, for the care and treatment of people who are mentally ill, infirm, elderly, etc

Other Words From

• re·treatal adjective
• re·treater noun
• re·treative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of retreat¹

First recorded in 1300–50; (for the noun) Middle English retret, from Old French, variant of retrait, noun use of past participle of retraire “to draw back,” from Latin retrahere ( retract ¹ ); (for the verb) late Middle English retreten, from Middle French retraitier, from Latin retractāre “to reconsider, withdraw” ( retract ² )

Word History and Origins

Origin of retreat¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

More idioms and phrases containing retreat

see beat a retreat .

Synonym Study

See depart.

Example Sentences

She hopes to set up a holiday retreat for women diagnosed with gynaecological cancers.

From BBC

A federal retreat from those policies will make the United States less competitive by ceding leadership on clean energy technology to China, Europe and other rivals.

From Los Angeles Times

But having dipped their toes in live boxing, perhaps Netflix will now retreat.

From BBC

So he retreats to this phony masculine idea of "strength," constructed through Hollywood magic.

From Salon

Despite being hugely outnumbered, the men held their position for three days, giving their comrades enough time to retreat and successfully defend the city.

From BBC

Related Words

• haven
• hideaway
• refuge
• resort
• sanctuary
• shelter