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Definition of retiring

retiring

/ɹɪˈtaɪ.ɹɪŋ/
re · tir · ing
Adverb:retiringly
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retiring Lexical Profile

retiring Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Leaving one's job, office, or active professional service, especially upon reaching the end of a career or term.

Example

"The faculty hosted a farewell dinner to honor the retiring department chair for her thirty years of service."

2

Shy, reserved, and fond of solitude; inclined to avoid attention or social prominence.

Example

"Despite his fame as a novelist, he remained a quiet and retiring man who rarely gave interviews."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for retiring

• Nearby Words

retired
retiree
retirement
retiring
retitle
retool
retort

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the late 17th century from the present participle of the verb 'retire', which comes from Middle French 'retirer' ('to draw back'), combining 're-' ('back') and Old French 'tirer' ('to draw or pull').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Retiring. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/retiring
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