retirement

1 of 2

noun

re·​tire·​ment ri-ˈtī(-ə)r-mənt How to pronounce retirement (audio)
Synonyms of retirementnext
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Outbidding the Philadelphia Phillies and former Boston boss Dave Dombrowski for him is about as likely as David Ortiz coming out of retirement to provide the pop this Red Sox lineup needs. Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026 Other top retirement destinations include Florida, Illinois and Kentucky, all with more moderate living costs. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
During the time Harbaugh was in Baltimore, Kuechly completed an entire college career, his notable NFL career, retired and waited the five-year post-retirement period before being named a Hall of Fame finalist in 2025. Devon Henderson, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026 After his death Thursday, friends and fellow drivers praised Biffle for his post-retirement humanitarian efforts. Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for retirement

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of retirement was in 1536

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Retirement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retirement. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

retirement

1 of 2 noun
re·​tire·​ment ri-ˈtī(ə)r-mənt How to pronounce retirement (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on retirement

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!