retreat
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to move away from a place because it is dangerous or because you have lost a fight.
v.to withdraw from a position or territory, typically as a tactical response to pressure or defeat.
Simple“The army had to retreat when they realized they were outnumbered.”
In context“The commanding officer ordered the infantry to retreat to the secondary defensive line before the enemy could encircle their position.”
UsageThe verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to change your opinion or plan because people do not like it.
v.to withdraw from a previous commitment, opinion, or policy due to opposition or difficulty.
Simple“The government had to retreat from its plan to raise taxes after the protests.”
In context“Faced with a sharp decline in public approval, the administration began to retreat from its controversial environmental policy.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to become smaller or move back over time, usually because of heat.
v.to move back from a previous position or limit, specifically regarding the recession of glaciers due to melting.
Simple“Scientists are worried because the mountain glaciers are retreating every year.”
In context“Satellite imagery confirms that the Arctic ice shelf is retreating at an unprecedented rate due to rising global temperatures.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
n.a private and peaceful place where you go to rest or relax.
n.a place affording peace, quiet, and seclusion from daily life or stress.
Simple“They spent the weekend at a mountain retreat far away from the city noise.”
In context“The author spent three months at a remote coastal retreat to finish her latest novel without the distractions of modern life.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a period of time away from your normal life to pray, think, or study.
n.a period of withdrawal from society for the purpose of spiritual meditation, prayer, or study.
Simple“He went on a silent retreat at a monastery to clear his mind.”
In context“The yoga instructor organized a ten-day mindfulness retreat in the countryside for advanced practitioners.”
- 06 C1 Advanced
n.a signal given by a bugle or drum to tell soldiers to move back.
n.a signal, such as a bugle call, indicating the need for withdrawal or marking the end of the day.
Simple“The sound of the retreat echoed across the camp as the sun went down.”
In context“The bugler sounded the retreat, signaling the formal lowering of the flag at the conclusion of the military ceremony.”
Synonyms
“When the days feel heavy, she retreats to her garden, tending vegetables that she sells at the market.”
“Friday is delivering another day of near record heat to the continent, but toward the end of the weekend temperatures could retreat to seasonal averages.”
From Middle English retret, from Old French retrait or retret, from Latin retractus, from retraho. Doublet of retract, retrait, and ritratto.
From re- + treat.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.