# require vs retire

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### require
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈkwaɪə/ · frequency rank #1,736*
To demand, to insist upon (having); to call for authoritatively.

### retire
*verb · IPA /ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #6,613*
To stop working on a permanent basis, usually because of old age or illness.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/require-vs-retire