retirar(se)
verbCEFR B2
What does “retirar(se)” mean in English?
to withdraw, to pull back
to withdraw, to pull back (retirarse de — leave negotiations, positions, or commitments)
Example sentences
El gobierno se retiró de las negociaciones al no aceptar las condiciones impuestas por la otra parte.
The government withdrew from the negotiations after refusing to accept the conditions imposed by the other party.
La empresa decidió retirar del mercado el producto tras recibir varias quejas sobre posibles defectos.
The company decided to withdraw the product from the market after receiving several complaints about possible defects.
Tras treinta años en activo, se retiró de la competición dejando un palmarés difícil de igualar.
After thirty years in competition, she retired from sport leaving a record of achievements difficult to match.
How to use it
Retirar means 'to withdraw' or 'to remove'. Transitive: retirar las tropas (withdraw troops), retirar una oferta (withdraw an offer), retirar dinero del banco (withdraw money from the bank). Reflexive retirarse: to retire (from a position or profession), to withdraw from negotiations or a situation: se retiró de la política (retired from politics). At B2, both the transitive and reflexive senses in formal contexts are important.
Common mistake
Retirarse (reflexive) = retire/withdraw oneself. Retirar (transitive) = pull something back or remove it. 'Retire from work' = jubilarse (reaching pension age) OR retirarse de (stepping back from active role). Retirarse de las negociaciones is the standard diplomatic formula for walking away from talks.