Retreating

Pronunciation: /rɪˈtriːtɪŋ/

Definitions of retreating

verb to withdraw or move away from a place or situation

Example Sentences

A1 The soldiers were retreating from the battlefield.

A2 She was retreating into her shell, feeling overwhelmed by the situation.

B1 The team decided to start retreating after realizing they were outnumbered.

B2 The company was retreating from the market due to fierce competition.

C1 The politician was criticized for retreating on their promise to lower taxes.

C2 Despite the pressure, the general refused to order a retreat and continued to advance.

Examples of retreating in a Sentence

formal The soldiers were retreating from the battlefield after suffering heavy casualties.

informal The team decided to retreat when things started to go south.

slang We booked it out of there once we saw the cops retreating.

figurative Her confidence was retreating as the interview went on.

Grammatical Forms of retreating

• past tense: retreated
• plural: retreating
• comparative: more retreating
• superlative: most retreating
• present tense: retreat
• future tense: will retreat
• perfect tense: have retreated
• continuous tense: is retreating
• singular: retreating
• positive degree: retreating
• infinitive: to retreat
• gerund: retreating
• participle: retreating

Origin and Evolution of retreating

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'retreating' originated from the Latin word 'retrahere', which means 'to draw back'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'retreating' has evolved to not only refer to physically moving back or withdrawing, but also to denote a mental or emotional withdrawal from a situation or confrontation.