retreated

verb

past tense of retreat
1
as in withdrew
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fled
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of retreated Prices have since eased, but household chicken-keeping has not retreated with them. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2026 Padres left fielder Jase Bowen retreated to the ivy and made a leaping catch. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2026 The golfers retreated to the clubhouse as a small stream developed on the 18th hole. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026 Oakes recalled that the encounter lasted for about a minute before the grizzly bear retreated, leaving her and Skoki shaken but unharmed. — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 30 June 2026 Meghan and Harry retreated from the royal spotlight in 2020, sparking global controversy and dividing opinion in Britain. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026 Seconds later, a powerful explosion blasted through the doorway, shattering windows and sending vertical blinds and debris flying as firefighters quickly retreated from the building. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 McBreairty then retreated into the riverbed, and SWAT officers were called in to assist with the search, as were members of the Police Department’s Emergency Negotiation Team. — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2026 Armand gives a recap of the events leading up to and following the Trial of season two, saying that Lestat retreated to Magnus’s tower for the latter half of the 20th century, and never reached out to Louis to expose the truth about Armand orchestrating Claudia’s murder. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retreated
  1. withdrew
  2. fled
  3. bolted
  4. escaped
  5. ran
Verb
  • After starring in a slew of movies with each other, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen withdrew from the spotlight to focus on launching The Row, a luxury fashion brand, in 2005.
    — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Del Toro beat him at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes last month before Seixas later withdrew with injury — and UAE domestiques have made it onto the podium before, such as Adam Yates in 2024.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of withdrew
Verb
  • In March 2024, Rice was involved in a high-speed multi-vehicle crash in Dallas, then fled the scene.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
  • The number of animals in his care has multiplied since the outbreak of the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, as hundreds of thousands of southern Lebanon residents fled and were unable to take their pets or farm animals.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of fled
Verb
  • Against Seattle, the Storm bolted to a 21-13 lead after one quarter and held firm from there.
    — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Oregon and Washington soon bolted, also for the Big Ten, and eventually Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah joined the Big 12, and Cal and Stanford joined the ACC.
    — Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of bolted
Verb
  • William Carney, a man who escaped slavery to become a Union soldier in the Civil War and who was awarded the Medal of Honor for protecting the American flag from touching the ground during battle.
    — Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Born enslaved in Maryland, Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) escaped to the North and emerged as the nation’s leading abolitionist and major literary political figure of his time.
    — Melia Patria, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of escaped
Verb
  • Villaraigosa, who led the city from 2005-13 and recently ran for governor, argued that this is not the right time to make even that change.
    — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • The Dred Scott decision is said to have inspired Lincoln to speak out forcefully against slavery, run for president, and later lead the nation through a bloody Civil War.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of ran

Browse Nearby Words

retreat
retreated
retreated (from)
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Cite this Entry

“Retreated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retreated. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on retreated

Nglish: Translation of retreated for Spanish Speakers

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