Onward motion and Retreat

Opposite meaning terms

Onward motion noun - The act of moving forward (as toward a goal).

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Retreat is an antonym for onward motion.

Retreat noun - The act of withdrawing or going backward (especially to escape something hazardous or unpleasant).

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Onward motion is an antonym for retreat.

Nearby Words: retreated, retreating

Cite this Source

Retreat and Onward motion. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/onward_motion/retreat

Onward motion & Retreat. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/onward_motion/retreat>.

Retreat or Onward motion. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/onward_motion/retreat.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "onward motion" and "retreat" have occurred on timeline