retire
gb/ɹɪtˈaɪɚ/ us/ɹɪtˈaɪɚ/
A2
English
~ 2500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Stop working permanently
To stop working for the rest of your life, often because you are old enough.
Usage pattern:
to retire from [a job/company]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'retire' with 'resign'. 'Retire' means to stop working forever, usually because of age, while 'resign' means to leave a job but you may work again elsewhere.
Synonyms
resign (Resign means to leave a job, but not necessarily permanently or due to age.)
Antonyms
start work (The opposite in terms of life stage or employment status.)
Collocations
retire early
|retire at 65
|retire from work
|plan to retire
|forced to retire
Themes
work
|life stages
|daily life
|daily_life
Examples
- She plans to retire from teaching next year.
- After 40 years with the company, he finally retired.
- Many people dream of retiring early and traveling the world.
- He retired from the army at the age of 50.
- They both retired last summer and moved to the countryside.
Learner examples
- My father will retire next year.
- She wants to retire early.
- He retired from his job in June.
- I will work until I retire.
- They retired and bought a small house.
Verb
B1
action
2
Withdraw before completion
To leave a game, race, or position before it ends.
Usage pattern:
to retire from [a match/competition/position]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this means ending a career, but in sports it can mean leaving just one game early.
Synonyms
withdraw (Neutral term for leaving an activity before it is finished.)
Antonyms
continue (To keep taking part until the end.)
Collocations
retire hurt
|retire from the match
|forced to retire
|retire mid-season
Themes
sports
|work
|events
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The player retired from the match due to injury.
- She retired from the board halfway through her term.
- He had to retire hurt in the second set.
- The champion retired after losing the first two rounds.
- They retired from the tournament for personal reasons.
Learner examples
- He retired from the race because he was sick.
- The tennis player retired hurt.
- She retired from the game early.
- They retired from the contest.
- He retired before the end of the match.
Verb
B2
action
3
Go somewhere private or quiet
To leave and go to a quiet place, usually to rest or sleep.
Usage pattern:
to retire to [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'quit' or 'stop working'; here it means simply going somewhere quieter or private.
Synonyms
withdraw (Can mean moving away from a place or group, but not always to rest.)
Antonyms
enter (To go into a place, often public or active.)
Collocations
retire to bed
|retire to one's room
|retire for the night
Themes
daily life
|home
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After dinner, they retired to the living room for coffee.
- Feeling tired, she retired early to bed.
- He retired to his study to work in peace.
- The guests retired upstairs for the night.
- They retired to a quiet corner to talk privately.
Learner examples
- I will retire to my room now.
- She retired early last night.
- They retired to bed after dinner.
- He retired to his office.
- We retired for the night.
Verb
technical
C1
action
4
Remove player from play (baseball)
In baseball, to make an opposing player out so they cannot keep playing that turn.
Synonyms
put out (Common baseball term for making an out.)
Antonyms
keep in play (To allow the player to continue their turn.)
Collocations
retire the side
|retire the batter
Themes
sports
Examples
- The pitcher retired the side in order.
- He retired three batters in a row.
- They managed to retire the runner at second base.
Learner examples
- The pitcher retired the batter.
- They retired the side quickly.
- He retired three players this inning.
Grammar
Dictionary form
retire
IPA
GB/ɹɪtˈaɪɚ/
US/ɹɪtˈaɪɚ/
Syllables & stress
re - tire (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tire)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: retire
- 3rd Person Singular: retires
- Present Participle: retiring
- Past: retired
Word family
Forms
retires
verb
retiring
verb
retired
verb
Core family
retirement
noun B1
Related words
retiree
noun B1
Expressions
retire for the night
1/ɹɪtˈaɪɚ fɚ ðə nˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
Go to bed for sleep
To go to bed at night to sleep.
Examples
- It's late — I think I'll retire for the night.
- They all retired for the night after the meeting.
retire hurt
1/ɹɪtˈaɪɚ hˈɚt/
fixed phrase
Leave match due to injury
To stop playing in a sports game because you are injured.
Examples
- The cricket batsman had to retire hurt after being struck by the ball.
- She retired hurt in the second set of the tennis match.
retire into obscurity
1/ɹɪtˈaɪɚ ˈɪntu əbskjˈʊɹəti/
fixed phrase
Withdraw from public life completely
To stop being famous and live a private life without public attention.
Examples
- After his last film, the actor chose to retire into obscurity.
- She retired into obscurity after leaving politics.