retire
HighFormal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To permanently leave one's job, usually upon reaching a certain age, and cease active working life.
To withdraw or retreat from a place, position, or activity. In sports, to end an athlete's participation. In military contexts, to retreat from action. In law, for a jury to deliberate in private.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary meaning relates to ending a career, but the underlying concept is of withdrawal. It often implies a planned, voluntary, or dignified exit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In business/HR contexts, both use similarly. In sports, BE might use 'retire hurt' more specifically for cricket. 'Retire' meaning 'go to bed' is slightly more old-fashioned in AE.
Connotations
In both, carries connotations of earned rest and pension eligibility. Slightly more formal than 'stop working'.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties for the core meaning.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
intransitive (He retired.)transitive with 'from' (She retired from teaching.)transitive with 'to' (They retired to Spain.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Put out to pasture (informal synonym)”
- “Retire to bed (old-fashioned for 'go to sleep')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in HR for the process of ending employment with pension benefits. 'The company's retirement policy is very generous.'
Academic
Used in economics/sociology to discuss demographic trends, pension systems, and the 'retirement age'.
Everyday
Most common context. 'My dad is going to retire next year.'
Technical
In cricket/baseball: a batsman/batter is 'retired'. In military: 'The regiment retired to a defensive position.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She plans to retire at 60 and travel the world.
- The batsman had to retire hurt after being hit by the ball.
American English
- He retired from the army after 20 years of service.
- The pitcher retired three batters in a row.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used; 'in retirement' is preferred) He lives very retired in the Scottish Highlands.
American English
- (Rarely used) They live quite retired, away from the public eye.
adjective
British English
- The retired engineer volunteers at the museum.
- They live on a retired street away from the main road.
American English
- My retired parents moved to Florida.
- He is a retired CEO who now advises startups.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandfather is retired.
- She will retire next year.
- He decided to retire early to spend more time with his family.
- After a long career, she retired from teaching.
- Many people are now choosing to retire abroad where the cost of living is lower.
- The general was forced to retire from his post following the scandal.
- The policy aims to encourage older workers to retire later, thus alleviating pressure on the pension system.
- Having retired from public life, the former minister now writes political memoirs.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of RE-TIRE: putting new tires on your car for a long journey. When you RETIRE, you're gearing up for the long journey of your leisure years.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY / WORK IS A RACE. Retirement is reaching the finish line or exiting the race.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'уйти в отставку' (only for high officials/military). The general verb is 'уходить на пенсию'. Avoid direct translation of 'retire to a place' as it requires 'переехать и жить'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'retire' without 'from' for a specific job (e.g., 'He retired his job' - INCORRECT). Confusing 'retired' (adjective) with 'retiring' (adjective meaning shy).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'retire' NOT imply a permanent withdrawal?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Resign' is leaving a specific job voluntarily, often before retirement age. 'Retire' implies leaving the workforce permanently, usually at an older age, often with a pension.
Yes, but it's metaphorical or humorous (e.g., 'My old car has been retired to the garage.'). The formal term is 'decommission' or 'phase out'.
Yes, it can be used attributively (a retired teacher) or predicatively (He is retired).
It means shy, reserved, or averse to attention (e.g., 'a retiring nature'). This is different from the verb form.
Collections
Part of a collection
Work and Jobs
A2 · 49 words · Jobs, professions and the world of work.