adjective
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having given up one's work, office, etc, esp on completion of the normal period of service
a retired headmistress
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( as collective noun ; preceded by the )
the retired
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withdrawn; secluded
a retired life
a retired cottage in the woods
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of retired
Explanation
Someone who's retired has stopped working permanently. A retired teacher who misses his job might volunteer at an after-school program. Most retired people in the U.S. are over the age of 65, although some are able to retire earlier, and some continue working well into their 70s or 80s. Some jobs provide pensions, or partial salaries, to retired workers, and other retired people take advantage of government-provided benefits like Social Security. To retire means "to stop working," but also "to retreat or withdraw," and in the 1500s, retired meant "separated or withdrawn from society."
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.
"Sometimes I don't recognize my country," the retired psychologist said quietly.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
After Chourio’s leadoff home run, Snell retired 18 of the next 20 batters he faced, including 14 in a row, to get through six innings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
He retired in 2013 after making 737 appearances for the club and has since become a pundit, appearing on Sky Sports and CBS Sports.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
“It’s very stressful when you get to this age,” said the retired daycare provider.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
He was retired, he told people in the building.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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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.
