Retreats — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ri-ˈtrēt/

Meaning & Definition of Retreats

Retreats (verb)

  1. to make a retreat, withdraw
  2. to slope backward
  3. to draw or lead back, remove; specifically, to move (a piece) back in chess

Retreats (noun)

  1. an act or process of withdrawing especially from what is difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable
  2. the process of receding from a position or state attained
  3. the usually forced withdrawal of troops from an enemy or from an advanced position

Retreats (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an act of moving away especially from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable

    "we made a strategic retreat when we realized that we were outnumbered"

    similar: pullbacks, pullouts, recessions, retirements, withdrawals
    related: routs, flinches, recoils, revulsions, disengagements, disentanglements
    opposite: advancements, advances

  2. something (as a building) that offers cover from the weather or protection from danger

    "her bedroom served as a retreat from the frequent arguing between her parents"

    "the abandoned cabin was a welcome retreat from the storm"

    similar: asylums, bolt-holes (chiefly British), harborages, harbors, havens, refuges, sanctuaries, sanctums, shelters
    related: oases, anchorages, moorings, ports, covers, screens, abodes, diggings, domiciles, dwellings, habitations, houses, housings, lodgings, lodgments, pads, places, quarters, residences, rests, roofs, cloisters, closets, coverts, dens, hermitages, hideaways, hideouts, lairs, castles, fortresses, forts, palisades, redoubts, strongholds, lean-tos, lees, sheds, windbreaks

Retreats (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: backs away, drops back, falls back, pulls out, recedes, retires, withdraws, gives ground, gives way, loses ground
    related: flees, flies, flinches, recoils, shrinks, chickens (out), bows out, backpedals, backs down, backtracks, climbs down, detaches, disengages, disentangles, pulls away, abandons, departs, evacuates, goes, leaves, quits, vacates
    opposite: advances
    near: beards, braves, brazens, breasts, confronts, dares, defies, faces, outbraves

  2. to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening

    "the untried soldiers retreated in humiliating disarray almost as soon as the enemy's onslaught began"

    similar: bolts, breaks, bugs out, flees, flies, hightails (it), runs, runs away, runs off, skedaddles, beats a retreat, beats it, makes tracks, turns tail
    related: absconds, clears out, decamps, elopes, escapes, gets (away), gets out, lams, lights out, makes off, mizzles (chiefly British), scarpers (British), scats, scrams, skips (out), skirrs
    near: beards, braves, confronts, dares, defies, faces, abides, dwells, hangs around, lingers, remains, stays, sticks around, tarries

Related Entry: Retreat (noun)

Retreat is a different word from Retreats. The synonyms below are for retreat, not for retreats.

  1. an act of moving away especially from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable

    "we made a strategic retreat when we realized that we were outnumbered"

    similar: pullback, pullout, recession, retirement, withdrawal
    related: rout, flinch, recoil, revulsion, shrinking, disengagement, disentanglement
    opposite: advance, advancement

  2. something (as a building) that offers cover from the weather or protection from danger

    "her bedroom served as a retreat from the frequent arguing between her parents"

    "the abandoned cabin was a welcome retreat from the storm"

    similar: asylum, bolt-hole (chiefly British), harbor, harborage, haven, refuge, sanctuary, sanctum, shelter
    related: oasis, anchorage, mooring, port, cover, screen, abode, diggings, domicile, dwelling, habitation, house, housing, lodging, lodgment, pad, place, quarters, residence, rest, roof, cloister, closet, covert, den, hermitage, hideaway, hideout, lair, castle, fastness, fort, fortress, palisade, redoubt, stronghold, lean-to, lee, shed, windbreak

Related Entry: Retreat (verb)

Retreat is a different word from Retreats. The synonyms below are for retreat, not for retreats.

  1. 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"

    similar: back away, drop back, fall back, pull out, recede, retire, withdraw, give ground, give way, lose ground
    related: flee, fly, flinch, recoil, shrink, chicken (out), bow out, back down, backpedal, backtrack, climb down, detach, disengage, disentangle, pull away, abandon, depart, evacuate, go, leave, quit, vacate
    opposite: advance
    near: beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave

  2. to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening

    "the untried soldiers retreated in humiliating disarray almost as soon as the enemy's onslaught began"

    similar: bolt, break, bug out, flee, fly, hightail (it), run, run away, run off, skedaddle, beat a retreat, beat it, make tracks, turn tail
    related: abscond, clear out, decamp, elope, escape, get (away), get out, lam, light out, make off, mizzle (chiefly British), scarper (British), scat, scram, skip (out), skirr
    near: beard, brave, confront, dare, defy, face, abide, dwell, hang around, linger, remain, stay, stick around, tarry

Related Entry: Retreats (from) (verb)

Retreats (from) is a different word from Retreats. The synonyms below are for retreats (from), not for retreats.

  1. as in withdraws (from), escapes

    similar: escapes, takes off (from), vacates, withdraws (from), delivers, gives up, hands over, relinquishes, surrenders, yields, abjures, cuts off, disowns, rejects, renounces, repudiates, separates (from), discards, ditches, dumps, flings, jettisons, junks, scraps, sheds, shucks (off), throws away, throws out, sacrifices, abandons, deserts, forsakes, leaves, maroons, quits, strands, distances, disregards, forgets, ignores, neglects
    opposite: reclaims, harbors, has, holds, keeps, owns, possesses, reserves, retains, withholds, redeems, rescues, saves

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Retreats

The most common words with a similar meaning to Retreats:

Chiefly British: bolt-holes
pullbacks, pullouts, recessions, retirements, withdrawals, asylums, harborages, harbors, havens, refuges, sanctuaries, sanctums, shelters, backs away, drops back, falls back, pulls out, recedes, retires, withdraws, bolts, breaks, bugs out, flees, flies, hightails (it), runs, runs away, runs off, skedaddles, gives ground, gives way, loses ground, beats a retreat, beats it, makes tracks, turns tail

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Retreats

Words with the opposite meaning of Retreats:

advancements, advances

Related Words for Retreats

routs, flinches, recoils, revulsions, disengagements, disentanglements, oases, anchorages, moorings, ports, covers, screens, abodes, diggings, domiciles, dwellings, habitations, houses, housings, lodgings, lodgments, pads, places, quarters, residences, rests, roofs, cloisters, closets, coverts

Near Antonyms of Retreats

beards, braves, brazens, breasts, confronts, dares, defies, faces, outbraves, abides, dwells, hangs around, lingers, remains, stays, sticks around, tarries

Word Forms of Retreats

Inflections: retreated, retreating

Derived words: retreater (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Retreats

Middle English retret, from Anglo-French retrait, from past participle of retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere, from re- + trahere to draw

First known use: 15th centuryi

Frequently Asked Questions about Retreats

What does "Retreats" mean?

"Retreats" means to make a retreat, withdraw. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to make a retreat, withdraw. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Retreats"?

Other words for "Retreats" include pullbacks, pullouts, recessions, retirements, withdrawals, asylums, bolt-holes and harborages. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Retreats" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Retreats"?

There are 117 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Retreats". Common alternatives include pullbacks, pullouts, recessions, retirements, withdrawals, asylums, bolt-holes, harborages, harbors and havens.

What is the opposite of "Retreats"?

Antonyms of "Retreats" include advancements and advances. Near antonyms include beards, braves, brazens and breasts.

How do you use "Retreats" in a sentence?

Examples of "Retreats" in a sentence: "we made a strategic retreat when we realized that we were outnumbered"; "her bedroom served as a retreat from the frequent arguing between her parents"; "the abandoned cabin was a welcome retreat from the storm".

Is "Retreats" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Retreats" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Retreats"?

"Retreats" is pronounced /ri-ˈtrēt/.

What is the origin of the word "Retreats"?

"Retreats" comes from Middle English retret, from Anglo-French retrait, from past participle of retraire to withdraw, from Latin retrahere, from re- + trahere to draw. First known use: 15th centuryi.