Definitions and Examples of retreat, withdraw, recede
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
To move back or withdraw from a place or situation.
Example
The army had to retreat after facing heavy enemy fire.
To remove or take away something; to retreat or pull back from a situation.
Example
He decided to withdraw his candidacy after the scandal broke out.
To move back or away from a point or limit.
Example
The floodwaters began to recede after days of heavy rain.
Key Differences: retreat vs withdraw vs recede
- 1Retreat implies a strategic withdrawal from a position or situation.
- 2Withdraw suggests a deliberate removal or pulling back from a situation or decision.
- 3Recede is a more general term that describes any movement away from a point or limit.
Effective Usage of retreat, withdraw, recede
- 1Military Context: Use retreat to describe a strategic withdrawal of troops from a battlefield.
- 2Business Context: Use withdraw to describe a company's decision to pull out of a market or project.
- 3Environmental Context: Use recede to describe the movement of water levels or glaciers.
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Remember this!
The antonyms of irrupt are retreat, withdraw, and recede. Use retreat to describe a strategic withdrawal, withdraw to describe a deliberate removal, and recede to describe any movement away from a point or limit. These words can be used in military, business, and environmental contexts.
