This disclosure relates to acidizing retarder compositions and methods of reducing the rate of carbonate dissolution in carbonate acidizing treatments of carbonate formations using the acidizing retarder compositions. The methods may include dissolving one or more retarder compounds in a solution comprising a strong acid to form acidizing retarder compositions, and introducing the acidizing retarder compositions to carbonate formations. The acidizing retarder compositions may include one or more retarder compounds and a strong acid. At least one of the one or more retarder compounds may be a poloxamer. A concentration of the strong acid in the acidizing retarder composition may be 5 weight percent or greater.