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Pronunciation Guide
HOW TO PRONOUNCE

retreat

/ɹiˈtɹit/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does retreat mean?

noun

  1. The act of pulling back or withdrawing, as from something dangerous, or unpleasant.
  2. The act of reversing direction and receding from a forward position.
  3. Withdrawal by a military force from a dangerous position or from enemy attack.
More meanings (14)

noun

  1. A peaceful, quiet place affording privacy or security.
  2. A period of retirement, seclusion, or solitude, especially for meditation, prayer, or study.
  3. A signal for a military withdrawal.
  4. A bugle call or drumbeat signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset, as on a military base.
  5. A military ceremony to lower the flag.
  6. The move of a piece from a threatened position.
  7. (obsolete, rare) A peaceful, quiet place in which to urinate and defecate: an outhouse; a lavatory.

verb

  1. To withdraw from a position, go back.
  2. To withdraw military forces.
  3. To shrink back due to generally warmer temperatures. (of a glacier)
  4. To slope back.
  5. Alternative form of re-treat.

proper noun

  1. A locality in the Tamworth council area, north eastern New South Wales, Australia.
  2. A locality in George Town council area and the City of Launceston, northern Tasmania, Australia.
Wiktionary contributors Wiktionary contributors

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ɹiˈtɹit/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

And as Teancum saw the armies of the Lamanites coming out against him he began to retreat down by the seashore, northward.
Joseph, Jr. Smith; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsThe Book of Mormon : $b an account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of NephiProject Gutenberg ebook #17
Meanwhile it had struck me that it would be wise to secure our retreat through the outer door, so I examined it.
Arthur Conan DoyleThe Return of Sherlock HolmesProject Gutenberg ebook #108
More book examples (3)
Receiving a reply in the affirmative he went on inwards, the others withdrawing the bridge and beginning to retreat in his rear.
Thomas HardyThe Mayor of CasterbridgeProject Gutenberg ebook #143
But, in disobedience to this command, Pappenheim attacked the vanguard of the Swedes, and after a brief struggle was driven to retreat.
Friedrich SchillerThe History of the Thirty Years' WarTranslated by A. J. W. (Alexander James William) MorrisonProject Gutenberg ebook #566
This fort, opening fire, so crippled the daring vessels that some of them had to be towed out in their hasty retreat.
John A. CarpenterThe Star-Spangled BannerProject Gutenberg ebook #727