Meaning & use
autumn years
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Meanings
nounpluralfigurative
The later part of a person's life, when they are older and usually retired.
Grammar: Always plural and used with the possessive: in her autumn years, not in her autumn year.
Patterns
- in someone's autumn years
- the autumn years of someone's life
My grandparents moved to the coast to enjoy their autumn years by the sea.
She started painting in her autumn years and found it brought her great joy.
Many couples worry about having enough money to be comfortable in their autumn years.
nounpluralfigurative
The closing period of an organization, career or era, before it ends or loses influence.
Grammar: Used figuratively with a thing as the owner: the autumn years of the empire.
Patterns
- the autumn years of something
The newspaper's autumn years were marked by falling sales and staff cuts.
In the autumn years of his career, the coach became more patient.
Historians describe the empire's autumn years as a time of slow decline.
Common combinations
- in your autumn years
- He wanted to be healthy and active in his autumn years.
- enjoy your autumn years
- After decades of work, they hoped to enjoy their autumn years together.
- the autumn years of life
- The poem is about love in the autumn years of life.
- plan for your autumn years
- It is wise to plan for your autumn years while you are still earning.
- reach your autumn years
- Few people reach their autumn years without a few regrets.
Synonyms and how they differ
- golden years
- Golden years is more openly positive and suggests a happy, relaxed retirement, whereas autumn years sounds calmer and more reflective.
- twilight years
- Twilight years carries a sadder tone of fading strength and nearing the end, while autumn years is gentler.
- old age
- Old age is the plain, neutral term and has none of the poetic imagery of autumn years.
- later life
- Later life is a neutral phrase common in social-care writing, and it sounds more clinical than autumn years.
Opposites
Word family
Practice
My uncle sold his business and moved to a quiet village to spend his ____ with his books.
Choose one answer.
Autumn years means the later part of life, which fits a retired man in a quiet village. School years and early years refer to childhood.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “autumn years”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.