First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1retreat
noun re·treat \ri-ˈtrēt\
: 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
Full 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
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Origin of RETREAT
Middle English retret, from Anglo-French retrait, from past participle of retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere, from re- + trahere to draw
Related to RETREAT
- Synonyms
- pullback, pullout, recession, retirement, withdrawal
- Antonyms
- advance, advancement
Rhymes with RETREAT
accrete, aesthete, afreet, athlete, backbeat, backseat, backstreet, bedsheet, bench seat, big beat, bolete, box pleat, box seat, break beat, broadsheet, browbeat, buckwheat, bystreet, call sheet, car seat, cheat sheet, clipsheet, cloud street, cold feet, compete, compleat, complete, conceit, concrete, crabmeat, crib sheet, deadbeat, dead heat, dead meat, deceit, defeat, delete, deplete, discreet, discrete, disseat, downbeat, drop seat, drumbeat, dutch treat, effete, elite, en suite, entreat, escheat, excrete, facete, Fleet Street, fly sheet, forcemeat, foresheet, four-peat, gamete, groundsheet, hard wheat, heartbeat, heat-treat, helpmeet, hoofbeat, hot seat, house seat, ice sheet, ill-treat, jump seat, kick pleat, love seat, mainsheet, Main Street, maltreat, mesquite, mincemeat, mistreat, offbeat, Ossete, petite, pink sheet, preheat, rap sheet, receipt, recheat, red heat, red meat, red wheat, regreet, repeat, replete, scratch sheet, secrete, side street, slip-sheet, soft wheat, spreadsheet, stand treat, swap meet, sweetmeat, tear sheet, terete, three-peat, through street, time sheet, unmeet, unseat, upbeat, vegete, volkslied, white heat
2retreat
verb
: 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
Full 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
— re·treat·er noun
See retreat defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of RETREAT
15th century
Related to RETREAT
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 Kids
1retreat
noun re·treat \ri-ˈtrēt\
Definition of RETREAT for Kids
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
2retreat
verb
re·treat·edre·treat·ing
Definition of RETREAT for Kids
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.>
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