How to pronounce retiring
Say it like rih-TY-ring. Retiring has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce retiring. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- rih
- TY
- ring
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Retiring pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- rihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- TYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- ringKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of retiring
American and British speakers say retiring in essentially the same way: /rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ/ in the US and /rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: rih-TY-ring.
What does retiring mean?
- not arrogant or presuming“unassuming to a fault, skeptical about the value of his work”“a shy retiring girl”
- of a person who has held and relinquished a position or office“a retiring member of the board”
- reluctant to draw attention to yourself
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with retiring
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of retiring.
Questions about saying retiring
How do you pronounce retiring?
Say rih-TY-ring. The American pronunciation is /rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ/. In British English it is /rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in retiring?
Retiring has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TY). Broken into parts: rih · TY · ring.
Do Americans and Brits say retiring the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ/ and the British form is /rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.