1
as in withdrawing
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)
we retreated to the safety of the cellar at the first sign of the tornado
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fleeing
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the untried soldiers retreated in humiliating disarray almost as soon as the enemy's onslaught began
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of retreating
Schools, churches, small shops that survived the devastating 2010 earthquake that killed over 300,000 are now a pile of rubble, part of the apocalyptic landscape left behind by the retreating forces that control almost all of Haiti’s capital.
—
Johnny Fils-Aimé, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Water is rapidly replacing ice along the coastal plain of southeastern Alaska, where glaciers are thinning and retreating, with meltwater forming lakes off of their fronts, NASA says.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Earlier Wednesday, tariff uncertainty and threats to the Federal Reserve's independence had led the 30-year yield to briefly top the 5% mark overnight before retreating.
—Sean Conlon,john Melloy,chloe Taylor, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
New data highlights the risk to talent acquisition that companies may face by retreating from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
—Michelle Travis, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
With less accumulation and more melting, glaciers are retreating at an accelerated pace.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2025
When the event is abruptly cancelled due to a booking blunder, the four seize the chance to brainstorm a sequel, retreating to the film’s original locations for inspiration.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Kelce, who played football for the Bearcats, spent plenty of time on the field during warm-ups in a red-and-white striped sweater before retreating to a suite for the game.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Then on the 25th, Venus enters Leo, retreating into the shadows of your solitude and behind-the-scenes world.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 24 Aug. 2025
Johnny Fils-Aimé, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Water is rapidly replacing ice along the coastal plain of southeastern Alaska, where glaciers are thinning and retreating, with meltwater forming lakes off of their fronts, NASA says.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Earlier Wednesday, tariff uncertainty and threats to the Federal Reserve's independence had led the 30-year yield to briefly top the 5% mark overnight before retreating.
—Sean Conlon,john Melloy,chloe Taylor, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
New data highlights the risk to talent acquisition that companies may face by retreating from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
—Michelle Travis, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
With less accumulation and more melting, glaciers are retreating at an accelerated pace.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2025
When the event is abruptly cancelled due to a booking blunder, the four seize the chance to brainstorm a sequel, retreating to the film’s original locations for inspiration.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Kelce, who played football for the Bearcats, spent plenty of time on the field during warm-ups in a red-and-white striped sweater before retreating to a suite for the game.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Then on the 25th, Venus enters Leo, retreating into the shadows of your solitude and behind-the-scenes world.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retreating
Verb
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The 4% rule traditionally involves withdrawing 4% of a portfolio in the first year of retirement and then adjusting the rate in subsequent years for inflation.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The reaction to this was dynamic, which for some meant withdrawing from opportunities and for others contributed to burnout and decisions to leave their jobs altogether.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bolsonaro is under house arrest, surrounded by guards to prevent him from fleeing to a foreign embassy to request asylum.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Campuses are also a common site for hoax active shooter reports, which often causes mass panic and sends students fleeing for safety.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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HawaiianMiles joins Atmos Rewards on October 1, officially retiring the legacy program.—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
JetBlue is retiring the E190s for more fuel-efficient planes with modern amenities.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The sterile cockpit rule prohibits pilots from engaging in conversations unrelated to operating the aircraft when flying below 10,000 feet.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Perhaps the easiest was an airplane flying overhead.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This does not mean bolting on new features to your existing products, nor hiring an AI person here or there.—
Barry Libert,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
As reports from the Ukraine war show, taking a drone and bolting a Claymore mine to it isn't new.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Minnesota Vikings were on the short end of the score for three quarters as Caleb Williams was running and escaping from the pass rush and the Chicago Bears appeared to be on their way to a season-opening victory against the division rivals.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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This is psychoanalysis, plainly, and there is no escaping the mediation of the psyche.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After a solid performance in the 2025 opener against Western Michigan, Chiles turned in a breakout performance in an overtime win against Boston College, passing for 231 yards and four touchdowns and running for another score.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Some long-running novelas will be made available on Disney+ either next day or within a month of airing on Atresmedia’s free-to-air channels.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Retreating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retreating. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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