retired

American  

[ri-tahyuhrd] / rɪˈtaɪərd /

adjective

1. withdrawn from or no longer occupied with one's business or profession.

   a retired banker.

2. due or given a retired person.

   retired pay.

3. secluded or sequestered.

   a retired little village.

   Synonyms:

   solitary, removed, isolated

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retired British  

/ rɪˈtaɪəd /

adjective

1. 1. having given up one's work, office, etc, esp on completion of the normal period of service

      a retired headmistress

   2. ( as collective noun ; preceded by the )

      the retired

2. withdrawn; secluded

   a retired life

   a retired cottage in the woods

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Other Word Forms

• nonretired adjective
• quasi-retired adjective
• retiredly adverb
• retiredness noun
• self-retired adjective
• semiretired adjective
• unretired adjective

Etymology

Origin of retired

First recorded in 1580–90; retire + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Lopes retired after the 1987 season and spent the next four years as a coach under Valentine with the Texas Rangers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Republican Clay Fuller won the race to fill the seat of recently retired Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, beating out Democrat Shawn Harris, 56% to 44%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

My husband and I are in our late 70s and have been retired for about 15 years.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

"I hate it," says David McQueen, retired Vietnam veteran who depends on social security for his livelihood.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Dawn Celeste tells everyone that she’s a retired social worker and perpetual wanderer, and Luke is a college student on hiatus.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Related Words

• elderly
• resigned