What does "retire" mean?
The act of retiring, or the state of being retired.
Retire
/ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ)/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of retiring, or the state of being retired.
- Grammar: retire is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: go to bed, turn in, abandon, abdicate.
- Useful contrasts: mayoral staff, deejay, facebook.
- Usage evidence: When I retire, I'd like to spend the rest of my life in the country.
How to use "retire"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "retire" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "retire" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "retire" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "retire" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "retire" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "go to bed" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "retire", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of retiring, or the state of being retired. rare
- 2 A place to which one retires.
- 3 A call sounded on a bugle, announcing to skirmishers that they are to retire, or fall back. dated
"At the retire, the cavalry fell back."
Verb
- 1 To stop working on a permanent basis, usually because of old age or illness. intransitive
"Having made a large fortune, he retired."
- 2 To fit (a vehicle) with new tires. US, transitive
- 3 prepare for sleep wordnet
- 4 To stop playing their sport and in competitions a sports player. intransitive
"I have decided to retire from football at the end of the season after the World Cup."
- 5 cause to get out wordnet
Show 19 more definitions
- 6 To withdraw; to take away. reflexive, sometimes, transitive
"He […] retired himself, his wife, and children into a forest."
- 7 cause to be out on a fielding play wordnet
- 8 To cease use or production of something. transitive
"The steamship made thousands of trips over several decades before it was retired by the shipping company."
- 9 lose interest wordnet
- 10 To withdraw from circulation, or from the market; to take up and pay. transitive
"The central bank retired those notes five years ago."
- 11 pull back or move away or backward wordnet
- 12 To cause to retire; specifically, to designate as no longer qualified for active service; to place on the retired list. transitive
"The board retired the old major."
- 13 dispose of (something no longer useful or needed) wordnet
- 14 To voluntarily stop batting before being dismissed so that the next batsman can bat. intransitive
"Jones retired in favour of Smith."
- 15 go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position wordnet
- 16 To make a play which results in a runner or the batter being out, either by means of a put out, fly out or strikeout. Also, when such an event ends a team's turn at bat. transitive
"Jones retired Smith 6-3."
- 17 withdraw from active participation wordnet
- 18 To go back or return; to withdraw or retreat, especially from public view; to go into privacy. intransitive
"I will retire to the study."
- 19 make (someone) retire wordnet
- 20 To retreat from action or danger; to withdraw for safety or pleasure. intransitive
"to retire from battle"
- 21 break from a meeting or gathering wordnet
- 22 To recede; to fall or bend back. intransitive
"Past the point, the shore retires into a sequence of coves."
- 23 withdraw from circulation or from the market, as of bills, shares, and bonds wordnet
- 24 To go to bed. intransitive
"I will retire for the night."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"When I retire, I'd like to spend the rest of my life in the country."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "retire"?
Common synonyms include: go to bed, turn in, abandon, abdicate, abscond, adjourn.
How do you use "retire" in a sentence?
When I retire, I'd like to spend the rest of my life in the country.
How do you pronounce "retire"?
Pronounced /ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle French retirer (“draw back”), from Old French retirer, built from re- (“back”) + tirer (“draw, pull”), the latter from Vulgar Latin *tīrāre, of highly uncertain origin.
Etymology 2
From re- + tire.