Showing results for "retiring"

• present participle of retire.

retiring

American  

[ri-tahyuhr-ing] / rɪˈtaɪər ɪŋ /

adjective

1. that retires.

2. withdrawing from contact with others; reserved; shy.

   Synonyms:

   timid, bashful, diffident

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retiring British  

/ rɪˈtaɪərɪŋ /

adjective

1. shunning contact with others; shy; reserved

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Other Word Forms

• retiringness
  noun
• nonretiring
  adjective
• unretiring
  adjective
• retiringly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of retiring

First recorded in 1540–50; retire + -ing ²

Explanation

If you are a retiring person, you avoid being at the center of attention. You can often be found in the library and other quiet places, and if someone compliments you, you're likely to blush and change the subject. If you call someone retiring, it isn't necessarily clear whether you mean it as a compliment or something closer to a put-down. Usually, the word is used to describe someone who is shy or modest to a fault. But it can also be used to suggest that someone isn't arrogant, which is usually a good thing. And, of course, retiring can also refer to someone who stepped down from their last job and doesn't intend to work anymore.

Example Sentences

Patrick Harker, who led the Philadelphia Fed for a decade until retiring last year, said ethics officials at his bank wouldn’t have allowed his participation at such an event.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

Read next: I’m 55 and retiring in 6 years.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 19, 2026

Paul Caliguiri, who played in two World Cups before retiring as the second-most-capped player in U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026

The magic is share repurchases: GM has spent roughly $30 billion retiring 500 million shares over that span.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

Malcolm X also admired The Reverend Adam Clayton Powell, in his Congressman political role: “I’d think about retiring if the black man had ten like him in Washington. ”

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey