1
as in to settle
to go to one's bed in order to sleep
I'm exhausted, so I think I'll retire for the evening
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to sack
to let go from office, service, or employment
as a part of its restructuring, the company has begun to retire its older employees
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to withdraw
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)
the insurgents have retired to the outskirts of the city, but appear to be readying themselves for another offensive
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of retire
His retiring the Phillies’ 1-2-3 batters in order in the ninth inning ended a day in which the Padres otherwise relied on lower-leverage relievers Bryan Hoeing, Wandy Peralta, David Morgan and Yuki Matsui to patch together nine innings.
—
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2025
Stanley retired on July 1 after 47 years with the department.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
The decision to reopen the case to the public eye came a little more than a month after the previous judge retired.
—Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 13 July 2025
My spouse is retired and receives a generous Social Security benefit.
—Elliot Raphaelson, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for retire
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2025
Stanley retired on July 1 after 47 years with the department.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
The decision to reopen the case to the public eye came a little more than a month after the previous judge retired.
—Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 13 July 2025
My spouse is retired and receives a generous Social Security benefit.
—Elliot Raphaelson, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for retire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retire
Verb
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Gary, though, did have one last piece of business to settle — with Ballard herself, stalking her in the dark of the cold case unit’s basement HQ.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
14 July 2025
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The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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At least one department, the Department of Veterans Affairs, has massively scaled back a plan to sack more than 76,000 employees.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
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On a stroll through New York City yesterday, Hathaway’s outfit offered a fun solution for not sacking off your denim in the high summer heat just yet.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Of course, the former two had retired whereas the latter had only temporarily withdrawn.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
4 July 2025
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The traffic receded as Chicago withdrew into the distance behind me on Interstate 90.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
4 July 2025
Verb
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Now’s your chance to try the bedding brand that both Oprah and commerce editor Audrey Lee gave their stamps of approval.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
3 July 2025
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Best Fourth of July Bedding Deals Avoid night sweats with cooling bedding swaps like cotton blankets, lightweight quilts, and breathable mattress toppers.—
Ali Faccenda,
People.com,
2 July 2025
Verb
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With the reciprocal tariffs, Trump is dismissing the rules governing world trade.—
Aamer Madhani,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
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They have since been dismissed by the local solicitor general's office, WSB-TV reported.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
Verb
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And in this story, Superman retreats from the world after being rejected by the public for adhering to an older moral code.—
Ari Daniel,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 July 2025
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The nonsectarian center hosts retreats that range from 3 to 13 nights, for a wide variety of experience levels, with a central focus on Theravadin teachings and bodhicitta (striving to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings).—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
9 July 2025
Verb
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One 2024 meta-analysis, for example, found that all manner of sensory experiences—including sounds, smells, flashing lights, physical pressure, and pain—can be incorporated into dreams when people are sleeping and investigators provide the stimulus.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
1 July 2025
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Make as much noise as possible to try and keep U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from sleeping and force them elsewhere.—
Victoria Valenzuela,
USA Today,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Why are passengers required to remove their shoes at security checkpoints?—
Diana Leyva,
The Tennessean,
8 July 2025
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Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers introduced legislation to remove the Johnson Amendment.—
Fatima Hussein,
Chicago Tribune,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Retire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retire. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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