retire

verb

re·tire | \ ri-ˈtī(-ə)r

retired; retiring

Definition of retire

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

3a : 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

Other Words from retire Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about retire

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Synonyms & Antonyms for retire

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

arise, get up, rise, uprise

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

After finishing the World Cup season in Sweden, Randall retired from competition. — Roxanna Scott, USA TODAY, "Olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall diagnosed with breast cancer," 11 July 2018 Trump introduced Kavanaugh, 53, as his selection to replace retiring Justice Anthony M. Kennedy on Monday night. — latimes.com, "Democrats hope Obamacare fears will derail Kavanaugh as White House moves to soften his image," 11 July 2018 When major power producers retire, that often means prices for electricity go up, because there's less supply to go around. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "Rooftop solar could save utilities $100 to $120 per installed kilowatt," 18 July 2018 The rebranding was launched after Christine Specht, daughter of co-founder Bill Specht, took over as CEO in March 2015 when her father retired. — Henry J. Morgan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Menomonee Falls Cousins Subs celebrates July 11 reopening after redesign," 12 July 2018 Typically when a police dog retires, the canines live out their lives with their handler. — Steve Annear, BostonGlobe.com, "Ever wanted to own a State Police K-9? These two need good homes," 11 July 2018 Whoopi has been on the panel for seven years and sat alongside Barbara until the long-time journalist decided to retire in 2014. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "‘The View’ Star Joy Behar Made Things Awkward With Whoopi Goldberg After Slight Jab," 15 Nov. 2018 But some of those are 40 years old and are being retired. — Bojan Pancevski, WSJ, "In Germany, a Cold War Deal to Host U.S. Nuclear Weapons Is Now in Question," 12 Feb. 2019 Flynn the bichon frise won last year and is now retired. — Ben Walker, The Seattle Times, "What to watch at the 143rd Westminster Kennel Club dog show," 10 Feb. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'retire.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.