RETREATING Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

retreating

verb

present participle of retreat

as in withdrawing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fleeing

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 retreating On the arm of the sofa, where he had been seated just minutes before retreating into his bedroom for a few minutes of shut-eye, was a block of brown and white ice. —

Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026 Large investors flip to net sellers Larger investors are already retreating from the single-family market. —

Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026 Florida is known for employing a stand-your-ground law, a legal policy that provides residents the option of employing lethal force rather than retreating as a means of self-defense. —

James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026 Glaciers all over the world -- especially in Antarctica -- are also retreating at a rapid pace, recent research shows. —

ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026 The alarmed father then began retreating while shouting for their daughter to drive away. —

Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026 Before retreating into the basilica, Leo stepped forward out of the loggia's shadow and waved to the cheering crowd below. —

Arkansas Online, 6 Apr. 2026 Ndiaye also declined to clear the ball, instead trying to thread a pass to retreating teammate Jake Dengler inside the 18-yard box. —

Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2026 Police said security footage from the store shows customers staring and retreating before 53-year-old Tammy Canut of North Huntingdon walks into the frame naked. —

Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for retreating

Verb

Since 2016, federal officials allege, Meade has been trying to avoid paying the tax obligation through a number of tactics, which include withdrawing large sums of cash and purchasing cashier’s checks from his business accounts.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026
Legitimate companies do not walk you through withdrawing cash, using crypto ATMs or buying gold to solve a problem.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026