retire

verb

ri-ˈtī(-ə)r How to pronounce retire (audio)
Definition of retirenext
1
as in to bed
to go to one's bed in order to sleep I'm exhausted, so I think I'll retire for the evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to sack
to let go from office, service, or employment as a part of its restructuring, the company has begun to retire its older employees

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to withdraw
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of retire On Thursday, the actor famous for originating the role of Ash in Sam Raimi’s 1981 horror cult classic reiterated that he’s retired from playing the role, following his starring three-season run in Starz’s Ash vs Evil Dead (2015-’18). — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 More American women are retiring solo than ever before and redefining what financial independence looks like. — Angie O’Leary, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Some CFOs have decided to retire while other finance chiefs are being tapped to steer turnarounds or AI initiatives, for example. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026 Taylor Sheridan was ready to kick his feet up and retire before deciding to buy a second ranch in Texas. — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for retire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retire
  1. bed
  2. sack
  3. withdraw
  4. settle
  5. dismiss
  6. retreat
  7. sleep
  8. remove
Verb
  • For a full breakdown of how to clean your bedding without ruining it, refer to AD's guide on how to wash a comforter.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The center also receives waste such as leaves and construction materials and processes them into new products, mainly compost and cattle bedding.
    — Rose Evans August 21, Idaho Statesman, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of bed
Verb
  • The Jayhawks trailed by six and got the ball at their 11 with 17 seconds left, but Missouri sealed the 36-28 victory with a safety when Lorenzo Williams sacked Reesing in the end zone.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Since Straus was sacked in mid-June, however, the team has lost just once in eight matches under interim coach Leif Gunnar Smerud, pulling to within one spot and three points of a playoff berth.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of sack
Verb
  • Being part of a dominant defense was one reason players like Camon withdrew from the NCAA transfer portal.
    — Gerald Thomas III, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The first clarifies that its PLX product does not provide law enforcement agencies with geolocation data, and the second says that the company has reached out to the complaint's authors to ask that the complaint against Penlink be withdrawn.
    — Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of withdraw
Verb
  • The descendants of Vikings who settled Iceland have been living off the sea for centuries, and fishing remains part of the country's cultural identity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • After a brief stint at a boarding school in Kent, Audrey Hepburn returned to the Netherlands in 1939 and, together with her mother, settled in Arnhem and then in Velp, with her grandfather.
    — Daria Egidi, Vanity Fair, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of settle
Verb
  • On Wednesday, lawyers for Gomez filed a motion to dismiss the artist from the suit, and said she should have never been dragged into the case in the first place.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026
  • El-Sayed dismissed a potential fundraising gap in the race, which could occur if donors were pushed towards Rogers or if outside groups like AIPAC intervened on Rogers’ behalf.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • Skywatchers will not only see the moon change color, but also witness the sharp, curved edge of Earth’s shadow steadily advancing across — and later retreating from — the lunar surface.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • At a moment when Washington is retreating from its responsibilities, New York is stepping up for vulnerable immigrant children.
    — Meena Shah, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of retreat
Verb
  • Dogs slept outside and got baths every six months and sometimes disappeared for three days and then came home smelling like Paris Hilton circa 2003, and no one asked any questions.
    — Mimi Montgomery, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Some slept on the floors, others circulated in and out of the air conditioning, and a few children played and ate.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of sleep
Verb
  • Merck and Moderna have several large trials under way in non-small cell lung cancers that have been surgically removed.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond removing the psychological and practical barrier of injections, oral formulations are not reliant on syringes or refrigeration and are cheaper to manufacture.
    — Perdita Nouril, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of remove

Phrases Containing retire

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retinues
retire
retired
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Cite this Entry

“Retire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retire. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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