English Dictionary
Definition retreat in British English
retreat
verb
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.
These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
[intransitive]
verb
What are red words?
Around 90% of spoken and written English relies on just 7,500 common words.These words are highlighted in red and are ranked using a star system.
- One-star words are commonly used
- Two-star words are even more common
- Three-star words are the most frequently used
/rɪˈtriːt/
1
to avoid a dangerous, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation, especially by moving away from it
Example
Clara, embarrassed, retreated into silence.
Synonyms and related words
Synonyms and related words
Example
The Secretary appeared to retreat from his position when challenged by the press.
Synonyms and related words
4
to move a chesspiece back to a previous position during a game of chess
