Word
retreat
Phoneticsre·treat, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹiˈtɹit/
UK/ɹɪtɹˈiːt/
Definitions
01to move back
B1 · Intermediate Military
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.
日本語:退却する※
“The army had to retreat when they realized they were outnumbered.”
“The commanding officer ordered the infantry to retreat to the secondary defensive line before the enemy could encircle their position.”
Usage
The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.
02to change your mind
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.
“The government had to retreat from its plan to raise taxes after the protests.”
“Faced with a sharp decline in public approval, the administration began to retreat from its controversial environmental policy.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03glaciers
B2 · Upper Intermediate Science Technical
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.
日本語:後退する※
“Scientists are worried because the mountain glaciers are retreating every year.”
“Satellite imagery confirms that the Arctic ice shelf is retreating at an unprecedented rate due to rising global temperatures.”
Antonyms
04a quiet place
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
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.
“They spent the weekend at a mountain retreat far away from the city noise.”
“The author spent three months at a remote coastal retreat to finish her latest novel without the distractions of modern life.”
05meditation/religious event
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Religion
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.
“He went on a silent retreat at a monastery to clear his mind.”
“The yoga instructor organized a ten-day mindfulness retreat in the countryside for advanced practitioners.”
06military signal
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Military Formal
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.
“The sound of the retreat echoed across the camp as the sun went down.”
“The bugler sounded the retreat, signaling the formal lowering of the flag at the conclusion of the military ceremony.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “retreat” in context.
Verb
01. beat a retreat
“Seeing the angry dog, the children decided to beat a retreat back to the car.”
verb + noun
02. retreat into a shell
“Whenever he feels criticized, he tends to retreat into a shell and stop talking.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
03. annual corporate retreat
“The annual corporate retreat is designed to foster better communication between departments.”
adj + noun + noun
04. secluded retreat
“They spent their anniversary at a secluded retreat in the heart of the mountains.”
adj + noun
05. tactical retreat
“The general ordered a tactical retreat to regroup and conserve their remaining resources.”
adj + noun
Preposition
06. in full retreat
“By noon, the enemy forces were in full retreat across the border.”
prep + adj + noun
Adverb
07. hastily retreat from the area
“The troops were forced to hastily retreat from the area after the ambush.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
08. steadily retreat into the shadows
“The shy creature began to steadily retreat into the shadows as we approached.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“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.” “Soldiers retreated after a failed attempt to drive out the Israeli settler group with riot control techniques.” “Jaycee retreats into solitude in her high-rise council flat in Sky City, an estate perched above a shopping centre in north London where Crooks herself once lived.” Etymology
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.
Idioms
01. beat a retreat
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/retreat
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0