retirement

1 of 2

noun

re·​tire·​ment ri-ˈtī(-ə)r-mənt 

1

a

: an act of retiring : the state of being retired

b

: withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from active working life

c

: the age at which one normally retires

reaches retirement in May

2

: a place of seclusion or privacy

retirement

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or designed for retired persons

Synonyms of retirement

Noun

• withdrawal
• retreat

Examples of retirement in a Sentence

Noun

She decided to take an early retirement.

Many fans were surprised by the champion's retirement.

The staff is smaller because of several retirements.

I'm looking forward to retirement.

He is ready for retirement.

He came out of retirement to play baseball again.

She has remained very active during retirement.

The staff all wished her a long and happy retirement.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And officials who reach the rank of director-general and above generally have to live with permanent limits on their freedom to travel abroad, even after retirement. — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026

It's been an era of retirements as several fighters have announced an end to their careers in 2026. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026

Adjective

How to supplement Social Security Social Security is only expected to replace a portion of your pre-retirement earnings, making other savings an important part of most post-employment financial plans. — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026

Once viewed as a hobby reserved solely for the post-retirement generation, birdwatching or birding has had a serious shake-up. — Lydia Swinscoe, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1919, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing retirement

• come out of retirement
• individual retirement account
• pre-retirement
• retirement home
• retirement plan

Rhymes for retirement

• postretirement
• preretirement

Kids Definition

retirement

1 of 2 noun

re·​tire·​ment ri-ˈtī(ə)r-mənt 

: an act of retiring : the state of being retired

especially : the leaving of one's job permanently

retirement

2 of 2 adjective

: of, relating to, or made for retired persons

a retirement community