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.
But if you revisit interviews Donald did after retiring, you’ll notice how often and how quickly he’d get choked up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Republican Jon Bonck, in retiring Rep. Wesley Hunt’s seat, is worth about $2.3 million to $8.7 million.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
Separately, Albertsons said its number-two executive, Sharon McCollam, is retiring later this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Ben Stokes grabbed the headlines once again with a typically gutsy century on his return to competitive action for the first time since retiring from Test cricket three weeks ago.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
To combat this, Hollingsworth wrote, “Take one part muriatic acid to ten parts of water; rub the feet every night with this mixture before retiring to bed.”
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Definitions 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.
