retire

retire — verb

1. to stop working in a paid job, generally after reaching an age where you no long

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to stop working in a paid job, generally after reaching an age where you no longer wish or need to work, or when ill health forces you to

Example

Lakshmi plans to retire from teaching at the end of this school year.

retire from [job/profession]

The company gave him a watch when he retired after forty-two years of service.

Common collocations
  • retire from [job/company]
  • retire at [age]
  • retire early
  • retire on a pension
Synonyms
  • step down

    less common for regular jobs, more for positions of authority or leadership

  • give up work

    informal; does not imply reaching a set retirement age

  • leave the workforce

    formal; used for a whole population or sector, not one person

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

retire + from + [job/company]

Usage Note

Intransitive only in this sense — the job or employer follows the preposition 'from', not the verb directly. Frequently paired with 'at [age]' (retire at 65) or 'in [year]' (retired in 2022).

Common Mistakes

I retired my job last year.
I retired from my job last year.
When the meaning is 'stop working', retire is intransitive and needs 'from' for the job or place.

2. to leave a sports event or competition before it ends, typically because of an i

2.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to leave a sports event or competition before it ends, typically because of an injury or illness that prevents you from continuing

Example

Wei retired from the marathon after twisting his ankle at the fifteen-kilometre mark.

retire from [event] at [distance/time]

The champion cyclist retired from the race with a broken collarbone.

retire from [event] with [injury]

Common collocations
  • retire from [competition]
  • retire with [injury]
  • retire during [event]
  • forced to retire
Synonyms
  • withdraw

    slightly more formal; used in the same contexts (withdraw from a race)

  • pull out

    informal; used in both sports and everyday situations

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

retire + from + [race/competition]

retire + with + [injury]

Usage Note

Use 'retire from [event]' for the competition being abandoned, or 'retire with [injury/illness]' to specify the cause. Unlike sense 1, this sense never takes a that-clause or infinitive.

Common Mistakes

The player retired the match due to injury.
The player retired from the match due to injury.
Retire is intransitive here; the competition follows 'from', not the verb directly.

3. to force a worker to stop doing their job, typically when they arrive at a stand

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to force a worker to stop doing their job, typically when they arrive at a standard retirement age or are in poor health

Example

The airline retired all pilots over the age of sixty-five last year.

retired + [group] over [age]

The university retired Professor Okafor when he turned seventy.

Common collocations
  • retire [employee]
  • be retired from [position]
  • retire [group] at [age]
Synonyms
  • pension off

    informal; suggests giving a pension at the same time

  • make redundant

    different reason — redundancy is about job elimination, not age

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

retire + [person]

be retired + from + [position]

Usage Note

The subject is always an employer, organisation, or institution — never the worker. This sense is frequently used in the passive ('be retired'). Distinguish from sense 1: in sense 1 the worker makes the choice; in sense 3 a higher authority makes the decision.

Common Mistakes

The company retired him off at sixty.
The company retired him at sixty.
There is no 'retire off' construction; the verb takes the person as a direct object with no additional particle.

4. in baseball, to put a batter or a side out, ending their turn at hitting

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

in baseball, to put a batter or a side out, ending their turn at hitting

Example

The pitcher retired the first three batters in a row without allowing a single hit.

retired [number] batters in a row

Luca retired the side with two strikeouts and a ground ball to shortstop.

retired the side

Common collocations
  • retire [batter/side]
  • retire the side in order
  • retire [batter] at [base]
Synonyms
  • put out

    general baseball term; retire is the technical verb

  • strike out

    only when the batter misses three pitches, a subset of retiring

Grammar Patterns

retire + [batter/side]

Usage Note

Domain-specific to baseball. The object can be a batter (one player), a side (three batters), or a team. 'Retire the side in order' means all three batters are put out consecutively. Not used in other sports.

Common Mistakes

The bowler retired the batsman in cricket.
The pitcher retired the batter in baseball.
This sense is specific to baseball; cricket and other sports use different verbs (e.g. 'dismiss').

5. to take a piece of equipment, vehicle, or system out of use, often because it is

5.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to take a piece of equipment, vehicle, or system out of use, often because it is old, worn out, or no longer needed

Example

The city retired the old tram system and replaced it with electric buses.

retire [equipment/system] and replace with [new]

The navy retired the battleship after fifty years of active service.

retire [vehicle] after [duration]

Common collocations
  • retire [equipment/vehicle]
  • be retired from service
  • retire [system/model/coin]
Synonyms
  • phase out

    suggests gradual removal over time rather than a single action

  • take out of service

    more formal; common in military and transport contexts

  • decommission

    formal; used for large equipment like ships or power plants

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

retire + [equipment/system]

be retired + from + [service]

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive (a plane is retired, coins are retired). The object is typically machinery, vehicles, currency, equipment, or computer systems — never people. Use 'retire from service' for a more formal tone.

Common Mistakes

They retired the old worker.
They retired the old machine.
This sense applies to objects, not people. For forcing a worker to leave, use sense 3.

6. to exit a gathering or crowded location and go to a more peaceful place for priv

6.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to exit a gathering or crowded location and go to a more peaceful place for privacy

Example

After dinner, the host retired to the study to read his newspaper in peace.

retired to [place] to [activity]

The jury retired to a private room to discuss their verdict.

retired to [room] to [purpose]

Common collocations
  • retire to [room/study/chambers]
  • retire from [gathering/room]
  • retire to [place] for [purpose]
Synonyms
  • withdraw

    similar formality level; more common in official or military contexts

  • excuse oneself

    polite; focuses on the social act of leaving a group

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

retire + to + [place]

retire + from + [place]

Usage Note

Formal register — more common in written narratives and official contexts than in everyday speech. Use 'retire to [destination]' to state where the person goes, or 'retire from [origin]' to state what place they leave.

Common Mistakes

He retired from the living room to the kitchen.
He left the living room and went to the kitchen.
In everyday contexts, 'leave' or 'go to' sounds more natural. 'Retire' in this sense is too formal for casual situations.

7. to go to your bed to sleep for the night

7.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to go to your bed to sleep for the night

Example

The guests retired for the night around eleven o'clock.

retired for the night at [time]

Sivan retired to her room after a long day of travel.

Common collocations
  • retire for the night
  • retire to [bedroom]
  • retire early/late
Synonyms
  • go to bed

    neutral register; the everyday equivalent

  • turn in

    informal; common in conversational English

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

retire + for the night

retire + to + [bedroom]

Usage Note

Old-fashioned or formal register. More common in written narratives, historical fiction, and formal invitations than everyday conversation. In modern speech, 'go to bed' is strongly preferred. The fixed phrase 'retire for the night' is the most common use.

Common Mistakes

I'm tired, I think I'll retire.
I'm tired, I think I'll go to bed.
In casual speech, 'go to bed' sounds natural; 'retire' sounds overly formal or old-fashioned.

8. to pull back from combat or a hazardous situation, in an organised way and often

8.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

to pull back from combat or a hazardous situation, in an organised way and often to avoid defeat or further loss

Example

The general ordered the troops to retire to a safer position behind the river.

retire to [position] (military)

The soldiers retired from the front line when supplies ran low.

Common collocations
  • retire to [position]
  • retire from [battle/front]
  • retire in good order
  • retire to [safe location]
Synonyms
  • retreat

    more common in modern English; can suggest urgency or disorder, unlike retire which implies an organised move

  • fall back

    informal military language; 'fall back to a new position'

  • withdraw

    neutral; used in both military and non-military contexts

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

retire + from + [battle/front]

retire + to + [position]

Usage Note

Formal register, primarily historical or military. In modern English, 'retreat' is more common for the same meaning. 'Retire' in this sense suggests a more planned, orderly withdrawal, while 'retreat' can imply urgency or flight.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe leaving a job, but they differ in reason, formality, and scope. 'Retire' specifically means stopping work because of age, health, or after a full career — it implies you have reached the end of your working life. 'Resign' is a formal, voluntary decision to leave a position, often to take another job or for personal reasons; it carries no age implication. 'Quit' is more informal and can apply to any situation where someone leaves suddenly or without a formal notice. 'Step down' is used for positions of authority (a CEO, a committee chair) and suggests a graceful, sometimes reluctant exit. 'Give up work' is a neutral, informal phrase that simply means to stop working, with no implication about age or whether the decision was voluntary. For example: 'After forty years, Mr. Chen retired from the bank' implies a planned end of career. 'She resigned from the board' suggests she formally handed in a notice. 'He quit his job because the pay was too low' sounds like an abrupt decision. 'The chairman stepped down after the scandal' signals a departure from leadership. 'My aunt gave up work to look after her grandchildren' is a simple statement of fact with no official process.

retire ↗resign ↗quit ↗step downgive up work

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • early
  • late
  • voluntarily
  • forcibly
  • honourably
  • gracefully

Phrases

  • retire from work
  • retire to the country
  • retire on a pension
  • retire from service
  • retire for the night

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle FrenchEnglish

From the Old French word 'retirer', formed from 're-' (back) and 'tirer' (to draw or pull). The original meaning in 16th-century English was 'to draw back' or 'to withdraw', which later developed specialised uses in military, sports, and work contexts.