| 100% | REMS | 4 | Phenomena after retiring |
| 64% | REM | 3 | Occurrence after retiring |
| 61% | ONEAM | 5 | Time after retiring? |
| 54% | DOZE | 4 | What you might do after retiring |
| 54% | SLEEPAIDS | 9 | They can be helpful after retiring |
| 54% | NESTEGG | 7 | You may use it after retiring |
| 51% | REST | 4 | Well-deserved relaxation one finally enjoys after retiring |
| 47% | SSR | 3 | Abbr. retired after Gorbachev's resignation |
| 43% | NED | 3 | Royals manager Yost who retired after the 2019 season |
| 43% | MACKERELSKY | 11 | Rippling cloud phenomenon named after a type of fish |
| 42% | SAJAK | 5 | "Wheel of Fortune" host who's retiring after this season |
| 42% | IPHONE | 6 | Apple's flagship device that became a cultural phenomenon after its release in 2007 |
| 42% | VIN | 3 | Announcer Scully who retired after 67 seasons with the Dodgers |
| 42% | ELI | 3 | Manning who retired from the NFL after the 2019 season |
| 40% | KOBE | 4 | N.B.A. legend who plans to retire after this season |
| 40% | PEYTONMANNING | 13 | Quarterback who retired shortly after winning Super Bowl 50: 2 wds. |
| 40% | CONAN | 5 | TV host who recently retired from late-night after 28 years |
| 39% | GETTYSBURG | 10 | Where the farm that Eisenhower retired to after his presidency was located |
| 39% | WHEELOFFORTUNE | 14 | Game show hosted by 45-Across after Pat Sajak retired (3 wds.) |
| 38% | DAVIDROBINSON | 13 | Basketball great who retired in 2003 after winning the NBA title: 2 wds. |
| 38% | PEYTONMANNING | 13 | NFL great who retired in 2016 after winning Super Bowl 50: 2 wds. |
| 38% | STORM | 5 | Windy and cold natural phenomenon that comes after the calm, in a saying |
| 35% | RHETT | 5 | ___ Ellison, former American football tight who retired in 2020 after playing eight seasons in NFL |
| 35% | JAMES | 5 | LeBron ___, basketballer who retired from his Olympic career after winning a gold medal in 2024 |
| 34% | BACHELOR | 8 | "The ___," series where a man has to choose a fiancee, which became a cultural phenomenon after its debut in 2002 |
| 34% | CAMERONDIAZ | 11 | "Charlie's Angels" actress who retired from acting after appearing in 2014's "Annie": 2 wds. |
| 34% | DANIELDAYLEWIS | 14 | "Lincoln" actor who retired from acting after appearing in 2017's "Phantom Thread": 2 wds., hyph. |
| 34% | GENEHACKMAN | 11 | "Hoosiers" actor who retired from acting after appearing in 2004's "Welcome to Mooseport": 2 wds. |
| 33% | EASEDOUT | 8 | Prodded into retiring |
| 33% | BEDSTEAD | 8 | Framework for retiring |