What does retire mean?
Retire most commonly means to stop working, usually after a long career, and to begin a period of life outside employment. The word often carries a positive or neutral implication of completion: a person may retire from teaching, business, public service, or another profession after years of service. Retirement can also refer to withdrawal from active military duty, public life, or a particular activity. In the older expression "retire for the night," it means to go to bed. The verb is used in British and American English and may be transitive or followed by "from," as in "retire from office." Although retiring normally marks a permanent or relatively final departure from work, it does not necessarily imply that the person will never undertake further activities. Retired, retirement, and retiree are common related forms.
verbTo stop working, especially at the end of a career, or to withdraw from active military service. It can also mean to leave public life, withdraw from an activity, or go to bed for the night.
- To stop working, usually permanently, at the end of a career.
- To withdraw from active military service.
- To withdraw from public life or cease taking part in an activity.
- To go to bed for the night.
- To withdraw from competition or an engagement.
"After a distinguished career in medicine, she retired to spend more time with her family."
"He retired from teaching in 2018 after nearly thirty years."
"The officer retired from active duty and returned to civilian life."
To retire once meant simply to withdraw—from a place, from company, or even from public view.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does retire come from?
The English word entered Middle English from Old French, where the related form retirer meant "to withdraw." Its ultimate roots are Latin re-, meaning "back," and trahere, meaning "to draw or pull." The original sense of withdrawal developed over time into the modern meanings of leaving employment, active service, or public life.
Related word forms
How retire is actually used
In its most common sense, retire usually implies the end of a career, although it may also be used more loosely when someone leaves an organization. The phrase "retire for the night" is literary or traditional, while "retire" in sports and military contexts means to withdraw officially.
Easily confused with retire
Retire is a verb describing the act of leaving work or active service, whereas a retiree is a noun for the person who has done so.