- [countable, usually singular, uncountable] a movement away from a place or an enemy because of danger or defeat
- Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow
- The army was in full retreat (= retreating very quickly).
- to sound the retreat (= to give a loud signal for an army to move away)
Collocations War and peaceWar and peaceStarting a war- declare/make/wage war (on somebody/something)
- go to war (against/with somebody)
- cause/spark/provoke/foment/quell unrest
- incite/lead/crush/suppress a revolt/rebellion
- launch/mount/carry out a surprise/terrorist attack
- prevent/halt/represent an escalation of the conflict
- be torn apart by/be on the brink of civil war
- enter/invade/occupy somebody’s territory
- lead/launch/resist/repel an invasion
- adopt/develop/implement/pursue a military strategy
- carry out/execute/perform military operations/manoeuvres
- send/deploy/station/pull back/withdraw troops
- go on/fly/carry out a reconnaissance/rescue mission
- train/equip/deploy army/military/combat units
- lead/launch/conduct a raid/a surprise attack/an (air/airborne/amphibious) assault (on somebody)
- employ/use guerrilla tactics
- conduct/wage biological/guerrilla warfare
- fight/crush/defeat the rebels/the insurgency
- suffer/inflict a crushing defeat
- achieve/win a decisive victory
- halt/stop the British/German/Russian advance
- order/force a retreat
- join/serve in the army/navy/air force
- be/go/remain/serve on active duty
- serve/complete/return from a tour of duty
- be sent to the front (line)
- attack/strike/engage/defeat/kill/destroy the enemy
- see/report/be engaged in heavy fighting
- call for/be met with armed resistance
- come under heavy/machine-gun/mortar fire
- fire a machine-gun/mortar shells/rockets (at somebody/something)
- shoot a rifle/a pistol/bullets/missiles
- launch/fire a cruise/ballistic/anti-tank missile
- use biological/chemical/nuclear weapons
- inflict/suffer/sustain heavy losses/casualties
- be hit/killed by enemy/friendly/artillery fire
- become/be held as a prisoner of war
- harm/kill/target/protect innocent/unarmed civilians
- cause/avoid/limit/minimize civilian casualties/collateral damage
- impose/enforce/lift a curfew
- engage in/be a victim of ethnic cleansing
- be sent to an internment/a concentration camp
- accept/house/resettle refugees fleeing from war
- fear/threaten military/violent reprisals
- commit/be accused of war crimes/crimes against humanity/genocide
- make/bring/win/achieve/maintain/promote peace
- call for/negotiate/broker/declare a ceasefire/a temporary truce
- sign a ceasefire agreement
- call for/bring/put an end to hostilities
- demand/negotiate/accept the surrender of somebody/something
- establish/send (in) a peacekeeping force
- negotiate/conclude/ratify/sign/accept/reject/break/violate a peace treaty
Extra ExamplesTopics War and conflictc1- Eventually the police forced the crowd into retreat.
- He took part in the retreat from Paris.
- I made a tactful retreat before they started arguing.
- The enemy was now in retreat.
- We covered his retreat with bursts of gunfire.
- We succeeded in cutting off the enemy's line of retreat.
- an ignominious retreat to the River Vistula
- fresh evidence that trade unionism is on the retreat
- Hitler's retreat from Russia
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- hasty
- headlong
- quick
- …
- beat
- make
- lead
- …
- in retreat
- on the retreat
- retreat from
- …
- be in full retreat
- a line of retreat
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- [countable, usually singular, uncountable] retreat (from/into something) an act of trying to escape from a particular situation to one that you think is safer or more pleasant synonym escape
- Is watching television a retreat from reality?
- her retreat into a fantasy world of her own
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- hasty
- headlong
- quick
- …
- beat
- make
- lead
- …
- in retreat
- on the retreat
- retreat from
- …
- be in full retreat
- a line of retreat
- [countable, usually singular] an act of changing a decision because of criticism or because a situation has become too difficult
- The Senator made an embarrassing retreat from his earlier position.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- hasty
- headlong
- quick
- …
- beat
- make
- lead
- …
- in retreat
- on the retreat
- retreat from
- …
- be in full retreat
- a line of retreat
- [countable] a quiet, private place that you go to in order to get away from your usual life
- a country retreat
Extra Examples- Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland
- She plans to use it as a winter retreat.
- They are staying here at their secret retreat from life in the city.
- a summer retreat for the rich
- designed as a gentleman's country retreat
- the perfect retreat for a romantic honeymoon
- She bought the cottage as a weekend retreat.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- favourite/favorite
- idyllic
- perfect
- …
- turn something into
- use something as
- retreat for
- retreat from
- [uncountable, countable] a period of time when somebody stops their usual activities and goes to a quiet place for prayer and thought; an organized event when people can do this
- He went into retreat and tried to resolve the conflicts within himself.
- He went on a Buddhist retreat.
Extra Examples- He went into retreat at his country home to escape the attention of the media.
- I went off on one of my annual retreats.
- I went on a ten-day silent retreat.
- She goes on a spiritual retreat for two weeks every summer.
- The family held its first retreat last October.
- Zen Mountain offers numerous wilderness retreats.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- Buddhist
- meditation
- religious
- …
- attend
- do
- go on
- …
from danger/defeat
escape
change of decision
quiet place
Idioms
See retreat in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee retreat in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbeat a (hasty) retreat
- to go away or back quickly, especially to avoid something unpleasant
- I decided to beat a hasty retreat.
Check pronunciation:
retreat