retreated

Retreated is the past tense and past participle of the verb retreat. It denotes the act of withdrawing from a place or from a difficult situation, often for safety, defense, or reconsideration. In military contexts, an organized retreat involves pulling back to a more defensible position rather than a disorganized flight.

In civilian usage, people may retreat from a public event, debate, or confrontation, or physically move to a private space to rest or reflect. A retreat can also describe movement to a remote or secluded location for safety or contemplation, such as a family retreat or a personal retreat. The term can be used metaphorically to indicate withdrawal from social or professional commitments, for example, someone who has retreated from public life.

The word is closely connected to the noun retreat, which can denote both the act of withdrawing and a place set aside for rest or contemplation. As a past tense form, retreated often implies some planning or necessity rather than mere spontaneity, and it can contrast with terms like fled or ran away that suggest more abrupt or panicked action.

Examples: The army retreated to the next defensive line. After the warning, residents retreated indoors. The writer retreated to a quiet cabin to work. In religious or spiritual contexts, individuals may retreat for a period of meditation or study, and over time may describe such periods with phrases like they retreated for several days.