retire

verb

re·​tire ri-ˈtī(-ə)r 

retired; retiring

intransitive verb

1

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

2

: to withdraw especially for privacy

retired to her room

3

: to move back : recede

4

: to withdraw from action or danger : retreat

The army was forced to retire from the battlefield.

5

: to go to bed

retired for the night

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

retire a battleship

2

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

The general was retired with top honors.

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 of retire

• bed
• settle
• sleep
• turn in
• nap
• crash

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

Brito retired the Diamondbacks in order in the seventh before Bradgley Rodriguez worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Mason Miller did the same in the ninth for his National League-leading 23rd save. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026

She has been featured in various TV shows, including an English show called Upstairs, Downstairs (1971), and played Desdemona in Broadway’s Othello before retiring in the early 1980s, per the Walt Disney Archives. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026

Take advantage of Wyoming’s wide-open night sky for some of the best stargazing before retiring for the evening. — Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026

The government expects the new submarines to enter service as the Victoria-class fleet is retired in the mid-2030s. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French retirer, from re- + tirer to draw

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 4

Phrases Containing retire

• retire the side

Rhymes for retire

• admire
• afire
• aspire
• backfire
• esquire
• expire
• haywire
• hellfire
• inquire
• inspire
• newswire
• perspire

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