unretire
Americanverb (used without object)
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unretire
First recorded in 1945–50; un- 2 ( def. ) + retire ( def. ) (in the sense “to withdraw from business”)
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.
See Examples For:
But after taking an online class that required her to write a business plan, she decided to unretire and launch the business for real.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
While wife Erica gently douses rumors, Sean McVay, Les Snead, Cooper Kupp and others hint that Aaron Donald is tempted to unretire and return to the Rams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
Instead, workers tend to unretire when it is easiest to do so, when the job market is strong.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 18, 2025
Kirnan was team owner and president of the Privateers and went behind the bench for the season’s final five games when its coach, Paul Kelly, decided to unretire so he could play in the postseason.
From Seattle Times ● May 28, 2024
In February, Brady retired from the NFL, only to unretire about six weeks later.
From Washington Times ● May 10, 2022
He quit boxing in 1977, then unretired a decade later to do it all over again and become a world champion in his mid-40s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025
Those who said that they were employed at that time were said to have unretired.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 18, 2025
But Favre retired after one year in New York, unretired and then played two more seasons in Minnesota.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 31, 2023
The movie co-stars newly unretired actor Cameron Diaz and Glenn Close, but the production has been plagued with “meltdown” rumors for weeks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2023
In comparison, my dwelling is bleak, comfortless, and unretired, but my father is entitled to all my care.
From Ormond, Volume II (of 3) or, The Secret Witness by Charles Brockden Brown
Later, after unretiring and then retiring once again, Jordan became an owner of the team now known as the Charlotte Hornets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 6, 2026
But since unretiring from film, he is determined to do things differently.
From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2024
Elton is not the only performer with a history of retiring and unretiring.
From Salon ● Jan. 16, 2023
No. 23 was retired by the team, but that didn’t stop Jordan from unretiring his old number.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2020
I hope if Gronk genuinely considers unretiring, he comes to the same conclusion I have.
From Slate ● Jan. 6, 2020
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.
