Retire — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ri-ˈtī(-ə)r/ re·tire

Meaning & Definition of Retire

Retire (verb)

  1. to withdraw from one's position or occupation, conclude one's working or professional career
  2. to withdraw especially for privacy
  3. to move back, recede

Retire (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to go to one's bed in order to sleep

    "I'm exhausted, so I think I'll retire for the evening"

    similar: bed, crash (slang), doss (down) (chiefly British), turn in, hit the hay
    related: bunk, perch, roost, settle, doze, drop off, nap, nod, sleep, slumber, snooze, couch, lie (down), recline
    opposite: arise, get up, rise, uprise
    near: arouse, awake, awaken, rouse, wake, waken, bestir, stir, reawake, reawaken, shift

  2. to let go from office, service, or employment

    "as a part of its restructuring, the company has begun to retire its older employees"

    similar: ax, bounce, can, cashier, discharge, dismiss, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, sack, terminate, turn off, send packing, show (someone) the door
    related: downsize, excess, furlough, lay off, trim, boot (out), chuck (out), drum (out), kick out, throw out, unseat, separate
    opposite: employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on
    near: keep, reemploy, rehire, contract, subcontract, recruit

  3. 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"

    similar: back away, drop back, fall back, pull out, recede, retreat, withdraw, give ground, give way, lose ground
    related: flee, fly, flinch, recoil, shrink, chicken (out), bow out, back down, backpedal, backtrack, climb down, detach, disengage, disentangle, pull away, abandon, depart, evacuate, go, leave, quit, vacate
    opposite: advance
    near: beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave

Related Entry: Retire (from) (verb)

Retire (from) is a different word from Retire. The synonyms below are for retire (from), not for retire.

  1. to give up (a job or office)

    "at the age of 72, she finally retired from the job she had held at the shoe factory for over 50 years"

    similar: bag, chuck, leave, quit, resign (from), step aside (from), step down (from), give notice
    related: abandon, vacate, drop out (of), throw up
    opposite: keep, stay (at)
    near: hire (out), join, sign on (for)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Retire

The most common words with a similar meaning to Retire:

Slang: crash
Chiefly British: doss (down)
bed, turn in, ax, bounce, can, cashier, discharge, dismiss, fire, muster out, pink-slip, release, remove, sack, terminate, turn off, back away, drop back, fall back, pull out, recede, retreat, withdraw, hit the hay, send packing, show (someone) the door, give ground, give way, lose ground

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Retire

Words with the opposite meaning of Retire:

arise, get up, rise, uprise, employ, engage, hire, retain, sign (up or on), take on, advance

Related Words for Retire

bunk, perch, roost, settle, doze, drop off, nap, nod, sleep, slumber, snooze, couch, lie (down), recline, downsize, excess, furlough, lay off, trim, boot (out), chuck (out), drum (out), kick out, throw out, unseat, separate, flee, fly, flinch, recoil

Near Antonyms of Retire

arouse, awake, awaken, rouse, wake, waken, bestir, stir, reawake, reawaken, shift, keep, reemploy, rehire, contract, subcontract, recruit, beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave

Word Forms of Retire

Inflections: retired, retiring

Origin & Etymology of Retire

Middle French retirer, from re- + tirer to draw

First known use: 1533i

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Retire

Words & Phrases Containing Retire

retire the side

Frequently Asked Questions about Retire

What does "Retire" mean?

"Retire" means to withdraw from one's position or occupation, conclude one's working or professional career. As a verb, it is defined as: to withdraw from one's position or occupation, conclude one's working or professional career. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Retire"?

Other words for "Retire" include bed, crash, doss (down), turn in, ax, bounce, can and cashier. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Retire" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Retire"?

There are 79 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Retire". Common alternatives include bed, crash, doss (down), turn in, ax, bounce, can, cashier, discharge and dismiss.

What is the opposite of "Retire"?

Antonyms of "Retire" include arise, get up, rise, uprise, employ, engage, hire and retain. Near antonyms include arouse, awake, awaken and rouse.

How do you use "Retire" in a sentence?

Examples of "Retire" in a sentence: "I'm exhausted, so I think I'll retire for the evening"; "as a part of its restructuring, the company has begun to retire its older employees"; "the insurgents have retired to the outskirts of the city, but appear to be readying themselves for another offensive".

Is "Retire" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Retire" is a verb.

Is "Retire" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Retire" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Retire"?

"Retire" is pronounced /ri-ˈtī(-ə)r/ and divided into syllables as re·tire.