retire

verb

re·​tire ri-ˈtī(-ə)r 

retired; retiring

intransitive verb

1

: to withdraw from action or danger : retreat

2

: to withdraw especially for privacy

retired to her room

3

: to move back : recede

4

: to withdraw from one's position or occupation : conclude one's working or professional career

5

: to go to bed

transitive verb

1

: withdraw: such as

a

: to march (a military force) away from the enemy

b

: to withdraw from circulation or from the market : recall

retire a bond

c

: to withdraw from usual use or service

2

: to cause to retire from one's position or occupation

3

a

: to put out (a batter) in baseball

b

: to cause (a side) to end a turn at bat in baseball

4

: to win permanent possession of (something, such as a trophy)

5

: to pay in full : settle

retire a debt

Synonyms

• bed
• crash [slang]
• doss (down) [chiefly British]
• turn in

Examples of retire in a Sentence

I want to be healthy when I retire.

She had to retire during the first set because of a muscle strain.

The Navy is retiring the old battleship.

The manufacturer plans to retire that car model in a few years.

The team is retiring his jersey number in honor of his great career.

Recent Examples on the Web

Novak Djokovic might not be seen again in 2024; Rafa Nadal has retired; Daniil Medvedev is hobbling to the finish line; and after picking up a virus, Jannik Sinner is missing at Paris-Bercy this week. —Tim Ellis, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

Change is the central theme of the upcoming November election in Oakland, with three City Council seats open, a race to succeed the retiring City Attorney and a recall of Mayor Sheng Thao sparking a battle over the city’s political fate. —Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024

At age 66, South Carolina physician Paul Rousseau decided to retire after tending for decades to the suffering of people who were seriously ill or dying. —Judith Graham, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024

Tuttle’s retirement marks the second time in a week that a college quarterback has elected to medically retire. —Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French retirer, from re- + tirer to draw

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing retire

• retire the side

Kids Definition

retire

verb

re·​tire ri-ˈtī(ə)r 

retired; retiring

1

: to get away from action or danger : retreat

2

: to go away especially to be alone

3

: to give up or cause to give up one's job

4

: to go to bed

5

: to put out (a batter or side) in baseball

6

: to win permanent possession of (as a trophy)

Legal Definition

retire

verb

re·​tire

retired; retiring

intransitive verb

: to withdraw from an action

the jury retired for deliberations

transitive verb

: to withdraw from circulation or from the market

retire a loan

retire stock