Value rejected in retirement? (5)
I believe the answer is:
merit
'value' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'rejected in retirement?' is the wordplay.
'rejected' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'in' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue.
'tirem' is hidden in the letters of 'retirement'.
'tirem' written backwards gives 'MERIT'.
(Other definitions for merit that I've seen before include "Goodness" , "Worth; deserve" , "of a high order?" , "Deserve; excellence" , "Value" .)