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

SpaceX plans to retire both the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy shortly after the fully reusable Starship, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, is up and running. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 7 Nov. 2026

Jeff Dow, executive vice president of platform and media technology, will retire at the end of the fiscal year. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026

Portfolio reviews can identify duplication, excessive access and underperforming agents, informing decisions to improve, consolidate or retire them. — Lakshmanan Alagappan, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026

Kathleen Wilder in 1980, who retired as a lieutenant colonel, according to the Army Times. — James Laporta, CBS News, 5 Nov. 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