Retreat (Verb)
Meaning 1
Move away, as for privacy; "The Pope retreats to Castelgondolfo every summer".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Examples
- The family retreats to their lake house for a week of isolation every year.
- She retreats to her room to write her novel in peace.
- The leaders of the company retreat to a secluded resort for a strategic planning session.
- Every morning, he retreats to the meditation room for an hour of solitude.
- The queen retreats to her private chambers to rest and recover from the stressful event.
Hypernyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity; "We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"; "He backed out of his earlier promise"; "The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
Move back; "The glacier retrogrades".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 4
Pull back or move away or backward; "The enemy withdrew"; "The limo pulled away from the curb".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Examples
- The soldiers were ordered to retreat and fall back behind the fortified walls for cover.
- The company will retreat from the international market if the sales don't improve significantly.
- As the floodwaters rose, the family retreated to the upper floor of their home for safety.
- The government should retreat from its stance on this matter and consider alternative solutions.
- The bear slowly began to retreat back into the forest, having sensed human presence nearby.