Definition of retreat in English:

1(of an army) withdraw from enemy forces as a result of their superior power or after a defeat.

1. 1.1Move back or withdraw.
   ‘it becomes so hot that the lizards retreat into the shade’
   ‘the ice retreated during warmer periods called interglacials’
   More example sentences

   • ‘The crowd of people gasped and retreated a few steps from me, like I was a wild animal whom they thought to be dead, only to come back to life.’
   • ‘There's no pausing, save for retreating to a safer area.’
   • ‘If the water line rises far, it means a tidal wave will come and people must retreat to high ground, he said.’
   • ‘The animals had already retreated into their jungle homes, and the water had subsided.’
   • ‘Orville bobbed his brown head of hair and retreated to the safety of the kitchen.’
   • ‘Risaku retreated to the ground where his friends safely resided.’
   • ‘When Anna, as usual, shooed me out of the kitchen, I defeated, retreated back to the lounge.’
   • ‘At least that would give us time to retreat to safer grounds.’
   • ‘It seemed, at the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps, that he did not want to see me.’
   • ‘She let her tense shoulders fall and retreated back to the opposite wall, keeping her eyes on Zarius the whole time.’
   • ‘As I approached, Gregory and Mikhail retreated, moving farther into the sheltered area.’
   • ‘We retreated into the darkness of the passage, moving quickly back to the storage closet before crossing the hall to my room.’
   • ‘The footsteps resumed again, retreating into the dark once more.’
   • ‘Cate remained standing there, watching the doors swing and listening to the soft sound of Alexander's retreating footsteps.’
   • ‘Many from the crowd immediately fled; others retreated to what was felt a safe distance.’
   • ‘She heard footsteps moving away from her and could only guess Rhea had retreated to the bedroom.’
   • ‘The girl squeaked, dropped the phone, and I heard her footsteps retreating away from the phone.’
   • ‘Slumping back in his seat, the head of Sleet house let out a quiet sigh as he watched his false friends retreat from the table.’
   • ‘Grumbling, the old woman retreated back upstairs, mumbling continually about the problems with today's youth.’
   • ‘He backed away from the fire, retreating to the rear of the cave, and huddled against the rock, trying to block out the voices calling his name.’
   Synonyms

   go out, ebb, recede, flow out, fall, go down

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2. 1.2Withdraw to a quiet or secluded place.
   ‘after the funeral he retreated to Scotland’
   More example sentences

   • ‘I left the table, and retreated to a quiet spot on the stairs beside Smokey, hoping not to be found for the rest of the day.’
   • ‘So they retreated to a quiet agrarian existence as a form of protest, painting mountains and rivers because these are what endure.’
   • ‘Hazel wrote all her work by hand and on Sundays would retreat to the quiet of the nearly empty computer laboratory at Massey University to type up her thesis.’
   • ‘Mrs. Robinson had let him retreat to someplace quiet to finish student evaluations.’
   • ‘Undaunted, uncluttered, untouched, this is the charm of Tobago for the celebrated citizens of the world who retreat to its shores.’
   • ‘As if by instinct, he retreats to the woodshed, a quiet and private place where he sometimes goes just to sit and think.’
   • ‘More practically, it gives them a place to retreat to, escaping the stress of life in the public eye.’
   • ‘For Hewitt, nature becomes a refuge, a place to which he can retreat and escape from the rigours of life.’
   • ‘Edwards lives in and has a studio in Toronto but also has a place to retreat to and draw inspiration from in the rural farm country of Canada just north of Toronto.’
   • ‘After the funeral, though, he had retreated more into himself, and closed up even more - if that was even possible.’
   • ‘He skipped dinner and retreated to his room to practice all night.’
   • ‘As he got older, he retreated from the public eye, spent his days in quiet solitary devotion and scholarly study.’
   • ‘As he grows older Frenhofer retreats into seclusion, devoting his last years to a single work that no one has seen and that he cannot bring himself to complete.’
   • ‘Some miles down was a great waterfall that fell into a beautiful stone haven Angharad liked to retreat to.’
   • ‘With the jury still out, we retreat to the back corner of the court.’
   • ‘My father had retreated to his study for most of this period, though, which I found to be quite against his character.’
   • ‘When things become too stressful he retreats into his mind where he does mathematical puzzles for hours on end to calm himself down.’
   • ‘Livia retreated from the outside world more and more, even shutting out the company of Sarah Buckner.’
   • ‘As his reputation declined, the sculptor retreated to his studio and stopped exhibiting.’
   • ‘Shivering he slowed his breathing and closed his mind, retreating within himself in one of the meditation rituals.’
3. 1.3Change one's mind or plans as a result of criticism or difficulty.
   ‘his proposals were clearly unreasonable and he was forced to retreat’
   More example sentences

   • ‘Deng, as a result, had to argue his case, to move one step at a time, and sometimes to retreat from positions which opposition had made untenable.’
   • ‘I think our case here would have to be that we can't get out of it, that one way or another you're in this argument, it's a very, very difficult one to retreat from.’
   • ‘I am in earnest - I will not equivocate - I will not excuse - I will not retreat a single inch - and I will be heard.’
   • ‘As soon as you attack one thing he retreats and agrees with you, and as soon as you agree with him he disagrees again.’
   • ‘The government should not retreat in the face of striking workers using force.’
   • ‘Obviously the council have now retreated in the face of their united voice.’
   • ‘It is a role we should embrace with real confidence, resisting nostalgia, refusing to retreat into isolationism.’
   Synonyms

   change one's decision, change one's mind, change one's attitude, change one's plans

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4. 1.4(of shares) decline in value.
   ‘the company reported healthy figures but the shares retreated’
   More example sentences

   • ‘London shares retreated in a week that saw oil prices surge to a new record high of more than $54 a barrel.’
   • ‘London shares retreated this week as the Chancellor unveiled his latest Budget.’
5. 1.5Chess with object Move (a piece) back from a forward or threatened position on the board.
   More example sentences

   • ‘Also, his pieces are retreated, rather than immediately removed from the board.’
   • ‘Black's next move intends to retreat the queen to h6 if necessary, seeking to relieve some pressure through a queen trade.’
   • ‘However it all made perfect sense for the computer, as it thought that Kramnik's best was to retreat his knight, then it would repeat its move too, settling for a draw.’
   • ‘Black could safely retreat the knight, but the king move brings the game to a crisis.’
   • ‘Bareev retreated his king and knight and amazingly got the draw in 73 moves after he looked dead lost.’

1An act of moving back or withdrawing.

1. 1.1An act of changing one's mind or plans as a result of criticism or difficulty.
   ‘the trade unions made a retreat from their earlier position’
   More example sentences

   • ‘Perhaps Shakespeare felt that a judicious tactical retreat following rehearsal criticism was in order, but that does not brand the line a mistake.’
   • ‘The minister of war, Kuropatkin, was appointed to command the Far Eastern land forces and, no doubt familiar with War and Peace, adopted a strategy of retreat.’
   • ‘At Derby, his military council forced a retreat.’
   • ‘Their 2003 adventure ended in frustration when inclement weather forced a hasty retreat.’
   • ‘Strong campaigns across India maybe starting to force this corporation into a retreat, but it will not be the last such absurdity.’
   • ‘After years of tub thumping, backroom arm twisting, and tactical releases and untactical retreats, Sun Microsystems investment in putting Java into interactive TV finally looks like paying off.’
   • ‘Once the wizard is destroyed, you can opt for a tactical retreat, often a good idea considering in this mode, the wizard is unable to cast spells or summon any more creatures.’
   • ‘Feeling snubbed, she decided to beat a strategic retreat.’
   • ‘Mounting a strategic retreat, Sam re-entered the house and obediently followed Honey's mother back to the party.’
   • ‘Marin shifted a bit on his feet, before deciding that a strategic retreat was definitely called for.’
   • ‘Lenin, however, was astute enough to realize that a strategic retreat was required.’
   • ‘But Donahue tells us that the switch from grains to hay, from tillage to meadow did not signal a retreat.’
   Synonyms

   climbdown, backdown, retraction, concession, about-face, U-turn, rowback

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2A signal for a military force to withdraw.

1. 2.1mass noun A military musical ceremony carried out at sunset, originating in the playing of drums and bugles to tell soldiers to return to camp for the night.
   ‘In earlier days, fighting would cease at sunset and, following the beating retreat and the band troop, a hymn would be played in honour of those of the regiment who had fallen during the day.’
   ‘This beating of retreat was later extended to include the whole corps of drums with fifes, pipes or bugles.’

3A quiet or secluded place in which one can rest and relax.

1. 3.1A period or place of seclusion for the purposes of prayer and meditation.
   ‘the bishop is away on his annual retreat’
   mass noun ‘before his ordination he went into retreat’
   More example sentences

   • ‘One can thus expand the definition of ‘adventure’ to include Zen meditation retreats, cello lessons, or medical school.’
   • ‘During this time he also made pilgrimages to Sri Lanka, India, China, and Nepal to visit Buddhist sites and for meditation retreats.’
   • ‘Bishop Robinson will be in Ireland in October to address the annual retreat of the diocese of Limerick and Killaloe in the Dingle Skelligs hotel.’
   • ‘Since it was difficult to adhere to the advice imparted by visions, men and women went on annual fasts or retreats to renew the vision and reflect on their lives.’
   • ‘In Indian legend, every rishi, or yogi, who possesses divine power has a retreat in the mountain vastness of the Himalayas.’
   • ‘I had a little altar in my room, sat for an hour a day and regularly attended one-day retreats.’
   • ‘Silent meditation retreats, I've discovered, are helpful for some people and not for others.’
   • ‘The number of Catholics who attend the annual retreat has swelled.’
   • ‘Teaming up with celebrity stylist Louise O'Connor, Rita promises her clients the escapism of a modern day Zen retreat.’
   • ‘His recovery programme goes on to embrace detox, rehab and Buddhist meditation retreats.’
   • ‘We had just spent a pleasant day on Belle Mare beach, splashing in crystal clear water across the street from a local ashram, the Asian version of a spiritual retreat.’
   • ‘The most fervent Jansenists opted for a life of severe self-denial and constant prayer, in retreat from the world.’
   • ‘Living in retreats in secluded areas they have silently and unceasingly guided the evolution of humanity through the work of their disciples.’
   Synonyms

   seclusion, withdrawal, retirement, solitude, isolation, hiding, privacy, sanctuary

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4A decline in the value of shares.