# retired

/ɹiˈtaɪɝd/ (US) · /ɹɪtˈaɪəd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/retired
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. stopped working

adjective · CEFR A2

having stopped working, usually because you have reached a certain age.

For teachers: having permanently left one's professional career or employment, typically upon reaching a specific age or fulfilling service requirements.

- My retired parents spend most of their time gardening and traveling.
- The retired professor continued to contribute to the academic journal, though he no longer held a formal position at the university.

### 2. quiet and private

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

describing a place that is quiet, private, and far away from other people.

For teachers: describing a location or lifestyle that is secluded, withdrawn from public notice, or quiet.

- They lived a retired life in a small cottage by the sea.
- The poet sought a retired spot in the mountains where the noise of the city could not reach him.

## Examples

- My father retired last year after forty years at the bank.
- After the long dinner party ended, the guests retired to their rooms for the night.
- Although he officially retired from the firm a decade ago, he remains an active consultant, proving that a professional identity is not easily discarded.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.