adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of retiring
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.
Vocabulary lists containing retiring
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Thom Tillis, the North Carolina Republican senator who is retiring at the end of the year, has been particularly vocal in condemning Miller.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Alito had openly contemplated retiring, while Thomas had stoutly resisted the idea.
From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026
Another option would focus on safely retiring Hubble when its scientific work is complete, either by guiding it through a controlled descent into Earth's atmosphere or arranging for its disposal in orbit.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
Now it’s clear he has so much loyalty to Valencia and its students that Bedgood might not be retiring again any time soon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
Come in a-puffing and a-blowing, says, 'Lucius, what's this I hear 'bout you retiring?'
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
