Retirement is a time when people stop working full-time and begin a new part of their lives. Some people retire when they get older, while others do it after working for many years. It’s a big change, and people often feel many emotions. They might feel happy, proud, or even a little nervous. That’s why there are special phrases, called idioms, that help us talk about this stage in life in a fun and creative way.
Idioms make our language more colorful. Instead of saying someone stopped working, we might say they “hung up their boots” or are now “off the clock.” These sayings help us understand retirement in a simple and playful way. In this article, we’ll look at idioms that people use when talking about retirement. They will help you learn how people describe this important change in their lives.
Idioms for Retirement
1. Hang up your boots
Meaning: To stop working for good
Example Sentence:
– After 40 years as a firefighter, he hung up his boots.
– Grandpa hung up his boots and now enjoys fishing.
Other ways to say: Retire, call it a day
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sports and military, where people would hang up their boots when they finished
Usage: Used when someone finishes working forever
2. Call it a day
Meaning: To stop working, often after a long time
Example Sentence:
– Mom called it a day after working at the school for 30 years.
– He decided to call it a day and move to the mountains.
Other ways to say: Quit, wrap it up
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase was first used to show the workday was over
Usage: Used when someone finishes work for good or takes a break
3. Ride off into the sunset
Meaning: To leave peacefully, often at the end of something
Example Sentence:
– After his last day, Mr. Lee rode off into the sunset.
– She rode off into the sunset and started traveling the country.
Other ways to say: Retire happily, leave quietly
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old western movies where cowboys left at the end
Usage: Used to show someone retiring or leaving with no stress
4. Off the clock
Meaning: Not working anymore
Example Sentence:
– Now that she’s retired, she’s off the clock for good.
– He’s finally off the clock and can relax.
Other ways to say: Done working, free from the job
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from jobs that use time clocks to track hours
Usage: Used to show someone is no longer working
5. Golden years
Meaning: The happy time after retirement
Example Sentence:
– They’re enjoying their golden years by gardening and traveling.
– The golden years should be fun and restful.
Other ways to say: Retirement life, peaceful years
Fun Fact/Origin: Gold is a valuable metal, used here to show something special
Usage: Used to talk about retirement in a positive way
6. Put your feet up
Meaning: To relax and rest
Example Sentence:
– Now that he’s retired, he can finally put his feet up.
– Grandma likes to put her feet up and read every day.
Other ways to say: Rest, take it easy
Fun Fact/Origin: From the act of putting feet on a stool to relax
Usage: Used when someone is enjoying rest after work
7. Retire the jersey
Meaning: To stop doing something for good
Example Sentence:
– After many years, Coach retired the jersey and went home.
– She retired the jersey and started baking full-time.
Other ways to say: Step away, end a career
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sports when players stop playing and their number is not used again
Usage: Used to say someone is finished with a career
8. End of the road
Meaning: The final part of a journey or job
Example Sentence:
– He reached the end of the road at work and decided to rest.
– It’s the end of the road for her job at the company.
Other ways to say: Finished, time’s up
Fun Fact/Origin: It comes from traveling where a road stops
Usage: Used when someone stops working or finishes a long task
9. Over the hill
Meaning: Past middle age, often used for people thinking about retiring
Example Sentence:
– Dad says he’s over the hill and ready to relax.
– She got a funny card saying “You’re over the hill now!”
Other ways to say: Getting older, aging
Fun Fact/Origin: Climbing a hill is hard, so going down means it’s easier from now
Usage: Sometimes used as a joke when talking about aging
10. Kick back
Meaning: To relax
Example Sentence:
– Grandpa loves to kick back and watch baseball.
– Now that she’s retired, she can kick back all day.
Other ways to say: Chill, take a break
Fun Fact/Origin: “Kick back” may come from leaning back in a chair
Usage: Used when talking about resting after work
11. Time to smell the roses
Meaning: To slow down and enjoy life
Example Sentence:
– After retiring, she finally had time to smell the roses.
– He takes walks every day to smell the roses.
Other ways to say: Enjoy life, take it slow
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of taking time to notice small, happy things
Usage: Used when people slow down after working hard
12. Out to pasture
Meaning: No longer working, often retired
Example Sentence:
– He was put out to pasture after many years of service.
– The manager joked about heading out to pasture soon.
Other ways to say: Retired, stepped down
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from farm animals resting in a pasture after working
Usage: Used when someone is done with work, sometimes in a funny way
13. Turn in your keys
Meaning: To give up a job or duty
Example Sentence:
– On her last day, she turned in her keys and waved goodbye.
– He turned in his keys and headed for the beach.
Other ways to say: Quit, step down
Fun Fact/Origin: Often, workers give back keys when they leave a job
Usage: Used when someone finishes a job for good
14. Close up shop
Meaning: To stop working or running a business
Example Sentence:
– After 35 years, they closed up shop and retired.
– The bakery closed up shop, and the owner retired.
Other ways to say: Shut down, finish work
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the act of closing a store
Usage: Used when businesses end and people retire
15. Wrap things up
Meaning: To finish something
Example Sentence:
– He’s wrapping things up before he retires next month.
– She wrapped up her career with a big party.
Other ways to say: Finish, end
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from wrapping packages when done
Usage: Used when someone is finishing their job or task
16. Draw the curtain
Meaning: To end a performance or job
Example Sentence:
– The actor drew the curtain on his final show and retired.
– After years on stage, she drew the curtain and rested.
Other ways to say: End, close the show
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from theater, when curtains close at the end
Usage: Used to show the end of a career or task
17. Call it quits
Meaning: To stop doing something
Example Sentence:
– He called it quits and began traveling.
– After her last shift, she called it quits.
Other ways to say: Retire, stop
Fun Fact/Origin: “Quit” means to stop; this phrase means stopping for good
Usage: Used when someone is ending their work or project
18. Down tools
Meaning: To stop working
Example Sentence:
– The workers downed tools and said goodbye.
– He downed tools and started golfing every week.
Other ways to say: Stop working, retire
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from workers putting down tools at the end of the day
Usage: Used when someone stops working completely
19. The last hurrah
Meaning: A final event or effort before retirement
Example Sentence:
– Her retirement party was her last hurrah.
– He planned a big trip as his last hurrah before settling down.
Other ways to say: Final moment, one last time
Fun Fact/Origin: “Hurrah” is a cheer used to celebrate
Usage: Used for the final event before retirement
20. Take a bow
Meaning: To accept applause and leave after a good performance
Example Sentence:
– After teaching for 40 years, she took a bow and retired.
– He took a bow and left the company proudly.
Other ways to say: Leave with pride, finish up
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the stage when actors bow at the end
Usage: Used when someone retires after doing a good job
21. Sail into the sunset
Meaning: To leave peacefully after finishing work
Example Sentence:
– They sold their house and sailed into the sunset.
– He sailed into the sunset with a smile on his face.
Other ways to say: Retire happily, move on
Fun Fact/Origin: Like “ride into the sunset,” but on a boat
Usage: Used when someone retires and starts a new calm life
22. Lay down your tools
Meaning: To stop working
Example Sentence:
– He laid down his tools and went fishing.
– After building homes for years, he laid down his tools.
Other ways to say: Retire, stop working
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from hands-on jobs where people use tools
Usage: Used when someone is done with their job
23. No longer punching the clock
Meaning: Not having to track work hours anymore
Example Sentence:
– She’s no longer punching the clock and loves the freedom.
– He doesn’t miss punching the clock every morning.
Other ways to say: Retired, free from the schedule
Fun Fact/Origin: Many jobs use time clocks to track hours
Usage: Used when someone retires from regular working hours
24. Pack it in
Meaning: To stop doing a job or activity
Example Sentence:
– He packed it in after 20 years of service.
– She packed it in and moved closer to her grandkids.
Other ways to say: Quit, retire
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of packing up your things
Usage: Used when someone ends their job
25. Drop out of the rat race
Meaning: To leave the busy work life
Example Sentence:
– They dropped out of the rat race to live by the lake.
– He left the rat race to enjoy gardening.
Other ways to say: Leave work stress, quit the hustle
Fun Fact/Origin: “Rat race” means a fast, stressful work life
Usage: Used when someone chooses a calmer life after work
26. Take the slow lane
Meaning: To live a calmer life after retiring
Example Sentence:
– After retiring, she took the slow lane and started painting.
– He’s in the slow lane now, enjoying morning walks.
Other ways to say: Relax, go easy
Fun Fact/Origin: From roads where the slow lane is for easy driving
Usage: Used when talking about life after retirement
27. Hang up the hat
Meaning: To finish working
Example Sentence:
– He hung up his hat and now spends time with family.
– She hung up her hat after many years in the office.
Other ways to say: Retire, stop working
Fun Fact/Origin: From jobs where people wore hats as part of work
Usage: Used to say someone has ended their work
28. Clock out for good
Meaning: To stop working forever
Example Sentence:
– On her last day, she clocked out for good.
– He smiled and clocked out for good after 35 years.
Other ways to say: Retire, end work
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from using time clocks at work
Usage: Used when someone retires and leaves work life behind
Quiz: Idioms for Retirement
Instructions: Choose the correct answer for each question. Only one answer is correct.
Question Key
1. What does “hang up your boots” mean?
A) Start a new job
B) Stop working forever
C) Buy new shoes
2. If someone is “off the clock,” what does that mean?
A) They are late to work
B) They are not working anymore
C) They broke their watch
3. What does “ride off into the sunset” suggest?
A) Travel west
B) Leave work in a peaceful way
C) Ride a horse for fun
4. If someone is in their “golden years,” what are they doing?
A) Playing sports
B) Enjoying retirement
C) Painting gold pictures
5. What does “put your feet up” mean?
A) Do a handstand
B) Walk a long distance
C) Rest and relax
6. What does “turn in your keys” mean?
A) Return to the store
B) Go home from work
C) Leave a job for good
7. If someone “closes up shop,” what have they done?
A) Locked the store for the night
B) Stopped running a business
C) Opened a new store
8. What does “drop out of the rat race” mean?
A) Stop chasing mice
B) Leave the busy work life
C) Lose a race
9. What does it mean to “take the slow lane”?
A) Drive very fast
B) Rest and enjoy life
C) Walk to work
10. If someone “clocks out for good,” what have they done?
A) Changed their watch
B) Quit working forever
C) Started a new shift
Answer Key
- B) Stop working forever
- B) They are not working anymore
- B) Leave work in a peaceful way
- B) Enjoying retirement
- C) Rest and relax
- C) Leave a job for good
- B) Stopped running a business
- B) Leave the busy work life
- B) Rest and enjoy life
- B) Quit working forever
Wrapping Up
Retirement means leaving behind full-time work and starting something new. It might be more time with family, travel, or just relaxing at home. Idioms help us talk about this in fun and clear ways. Saying someone “hung up their boots” or “took the slow lane” helps show what they are doing in a simple way. These phrases make stories and talks about retirement more interesting and easy to understand.
Using idioms can help you speak and write better. The next time you hear someone is retiring, try using one of these fun phrases!
