retiring

American

[ri-tahyuhr-ing] / rɪˈtaɪər ɪŋ /

adjective

that retires.
withdrawing from contact with others; reserved; shy.

Synonyms:

timid, bashful, diffident

retiring British

/ rɪˈtaɪərɪŋ /

adjective

shunning contact with others; shy; reserved

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

nonretiring adjective
retiringly adverb
retiringness noun
unretiring adjective

Etymology

Origin of retiring

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

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.

And when that value fluctuates, so does your confidence about retiring.

From MarketWatch

After retiring in 2013, he joined a private Washington law practice where he handled official arbiter missions.

From Barron's

The former sports reporter, now running for retiring Democrat Tina Smith’s U.S.

From MarketWatch

In fact, I was not even considering retiring at that time, and neither of us knew much about the options.

From MarketWatch

Even though there were rumors last season of Gasca retiring, he insisted he was coming back because he loved teaching and coaching and believed that sports competition can change someone’s life for the better.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023