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

Many tutors are retired teachers and stay-at-home moms. — Yan Zhang, USA TODAY, "Chinese parents are paying for their kids to learn English from US online tutors. Here's how the job works," 11 June 2019 There were only two big names missing; Prince Philip, due to being officially retired from royal engagements, and his great grandson, Baby Sussex, Archie Harrison. — Lucy Wood, Marie Claire, "Here's When We're Likely to Next See Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Son, Archie Harrison," 10 June 2019 The previous superintendent left to take another job near Dayton and retired last year. — Keith Bierygolick, Cincinnati.com, "'Pick up my book, slave': The hostile environment for black students at an Ohio school district," 10 June 2019 Whalen’s high school and college jerseys were retired long ago. — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, "Jersey retirements honor Lindsay Whalen the player, and the person," 8 June 2019 Artemesia Sangster, another Big Momma's regular, said she's retired and feels no need to cook anymore. — Bailey Loosemore, The Courier-Journal, "Sunday dinners at Louisville's black-owned restaurants 'keep that culture going'," 7 June 2019 April's now the proud mama of five giraffe babies and will be retired from her zoo's propagation program. — Aj Willingham, CNN, "Teenage heroes, a legendary granddad and everyone's favorite giraffe," 7 June 2019 Despite being officially retired from his former career, Holes is now busier than ever — and his desire to solve crimes hasn’t stopped. — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE.com, "Investigator Helped Catch the Golden State Killer — and He's Still Solving Crimes," 7 June 2019 Though she's retired from the days of walking on Alaïa's runway in Paris, Webb remains tapped into the fashion industry. — Channing Hargrove, refinery29.com, "Exclusive: Veronica Webb Says Fashion Has "A Way To Go" When It Comes To Age Diversity," 6 June 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.