retire
verb
re·tire
| \ ri-ˈtī(-ə)r
\
\
retired;
retiring
Definition of retire
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
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
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Synonyms & Antonyms for retire
Synonyms
bed, crash [slang], doss (down) [chiefly British], turn in
Antonyms
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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.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Word was already leaking Saturday night at Lucas Oil that Andrew Luck was retiring, so when the QB left the field before the Colts game ended, home fans booed him. — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Doc's Morning Line: RIP to the 2019 Cincinnati Reds. Here's where the club progressed.," 26 Aug. 2019 Given that Prince Philip has been retired from public duty for two years now, his participation in this engagement is particularly significant. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Take a Break from Their Vacation For a Special Engagement," 21 Aug. 2019 Kwolek retired from DuPont in 1986, but continued consulting for the company, and served on various academic committees, including at the National Academy of Sciences. — Dan Samorodnitsky, Smithsonian, "You Can Thank Chemist Stephanie Kwolek for Bulletproof Vests and Yoga Pants," 21 Aug. 2019 Robert, who retired from the FBI in 1990, died in 2013. — Heather Finn, Good Housekeeping, "The Fascinating True Story Behind 'Mindhunter' on Netflix," 17 Aug. 2019 In a heartwarming moment captured on video yesterday, star tennis player Serena Williams tearfully hugged her opponent, 19-year-old Canadian tennis player Bianca Andreescu, after retiring from the Rogers Cup final. — Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, "Serena Williams and Her Opponent Uplift Each Other with a Post-Match Hug," 12 Aug. 2019 After a long day of floating around in microgravity doing experiments, astronauts on the International Space Station retire to their sleep station, which is little more than a closet, for some shuteye. — Daniel Oberhaus, WIRED, "The Surprisingly Cozy Truths of Sleeping in Space," 8 Aug. 2019 Brooks’s decision to retire was particularly ominous: She had been tapped to serve as the House Republicans’ recruitment chair. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "The Incredible Shrinking GOP," 5 Aug. 2019 Blakely retired in 2017 at the age of six after taking care of a litter of Malayan tiger cubs. — Sarah Brookbank, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Zoo's nursery dog Blakely comes out of retirement to care for cheetah cub," 2 Aug. 2019These 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.
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More Definitions for retire
retire
verb
English Language Learners Definition of retire
: to stop a job or career because you have reached the age when you are not allowed to work anymore or do not need or want to work anymore
: to cause (someone, such as a military officer) to end a job or career
: to stop playing in a game, competition, etc., especially because of injury
See the full definition for retire in the English Language Learners Dictionary
retire
verb
re·tire
| \ ri-ˈtīr
\
\
retired;
retiring
Kids Definition of retire
1
: to give up a job permanently : quit working
My grandfather retired at 65 years old.
2
: to go away especially to be alone
I retired to my room.
3
: to go to bed
I'm retiring for the night.
4
: to withdraw from use or service
The navy retired an old ship.
5
: to get away from action or danger : retreat
The army retired from the battlefield.