English Reference

Word

retirement

Phoneticsre·tire·ment

US/ɹiˈtaɪɝmənt/

UK/ɹɪtˈaɪəmənt/

Definitions

01period after working life

B1

n. the time in your life after you have finished your career and stopped working.

n. the state or period of being retired from one's occupation or office.

“My grandfather is enjoying his retirement by traveling and spending time in his garden.”

“Many people find that retirement offers a unique opportunity to pursue hobbies that were previously sidelined by the demands of a forty-hour work week.”

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'in' to describe the life stage.

Synonyms

pensionable age

Antonyms

02the act of stopping work

B2

n. the act of leaving your job or career permanently.

n. the formal act of withdrawing from one's employment or office, often marked by a specific date or event.

“The teacher announced her retirement at the end of the school year.”

“The CEO's sudden retirement triggered a sharp decline in the company's stock price as investors worried about the lack of a clear succession plan.”

Usage

Commonly used with the verb 'announce' or 'reach'.

03withdrawal or seclusion

C1

n. the act of moving away from other people or public life to be alone or quiet.

n. the act of withdrawing into a private or secluded state; a retreat from public notice or social activity.

“After the scandal, the politician lived a life of quiet retirement in the countryside.”

“He sought retirement from the chaotic atmosphere of the city, finding solace in a remote cabin where he could write without interruption.”

Formal · Literary

Real-World Examples

“Retirement has always felt distant when you're in your 20s - something to think about later.”
BBC News · 30 Jun 2026
“But the tight end hasn't said whether retirement could be next.”
BBC News · 13 Aug 2026

Etymology

From French retirement, from retirer (“withdraw, retire”); corresponding to retire + -ment.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Collocations

retirement incomeretirement savings

Word family

retireVerbretireeNounretirementNoun

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/retirement

English Reference