retain

verb

re·tain ri-ˈtān How to pronounce retain (audio)

retained; retaining; retains

transitive verb

: to keep in possession or use

: to keep in one's pay or service

specifically : to employ by paying a retainer

: to keep in mind or memory : remember

: to hold secure or intact

Example Sentences

A landlord may retain part of your deposit if you break the lease. They insisted on retaining old customs. You will retain your rights as a citizen. The TV show has retained its popularity for many years. The company's goal is to attract and retain good employees. The team failed to retain him, and he became a free agent. They have decided to retain a firm to conduct a survey. You may need to retain an attorney. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Our national prognosis would likely be brighter had Biden, the unfailingly moderate voice of the establishment, simply been trying to scare up enough votes for Democrats to retain control of the Senate and the House in November.

Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2022 The optics weren't good in that Lamet had only recently reached five years of major-league service time, which meant the Brewers were no longer able to simply option him to the minor leagues and retain control of him.

Todd Rosiak, Journal Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2022 Even if the Glazers retain control of the club, by this time next year that might be the case.

Justin Lahart, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Their race, one of the last notable Democratic House primaries of the midterm season, highlighted party splinters ahead of what’s expected to be a tight November fight to retain control of Congress.

Isabella Murray, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2022 The same Monmouth poll found that 59 percent of young voters want Democrats to retain control of Congress in November, compared to only 34 percent who prefer the GOP.

Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 17 Aug. 2022 In this scenario, employees are able to cut back on the time typically wasted on travel to HQ, and employers can retain greater control over operations that a physical environment affords.

Dan Zakai, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 Angelos, 55, prefers to sell a piece of the Orioles while continuing to retain his family’s majority control, two people told The Baltimore Sun in interviews.

Jeff Barker, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2022 Want to retain more control over your data in the cloud?

Scott Gilbertson, Wired, 1 Aug. 2022 See More

retain

verb

as in to keep

to continue to have in one's possession or power I plan to retain the family heirlooms until my own children are mature enough to appreciate them, and then I will lovingly pass them on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

keep
hold
preserve
possess
withhold
save
have
reserve
protect
conserve
enjoy
guard
own
hold on to
hang on to
manage
control
boast
detain
cherish
direct
rule
treasure
harbor
command
hug
bear
cling (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

relinquish
yield
give
surrender
release
contribute
abandon
give up
drop
lose
cede
discard
donate
reject
dump
hand over
repudiate
decline
hand out
spurn

as in to possess

to keep, control, or experience as one's own that author retains the right to veto any changes in his books suggested by his publisher's notoriously intrusive editor

Synonyms & Similar Words

possess
have
own
enjoy
hold
keep
reserve
command
withhold
carry
rejoice in
boast
bear
show off
sport

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

want
relinquish
lack
renounce
cede
yield
abandon
surrender
discard
require
disclaim
need
dump
reject
hand over
repudiate
spurn
decline
disown

as in to employ

to provide with a paying job her neighbor retained her as a nanny for the summer, thus giving her something to do until school started again

Synonyms & Similar Words

employ
recruit
hire
engage
pay
enlist
place
assume
fee
rehire
lay on
take on
promote
reemploy
reengage
sign (up or on)
job
partner
upgrade
subcontract
apprentice
contract
advance
scout
headhunt
keep (on)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

can
dismiss
discharge
sack
fire
axe
ax
lay off
lock out
furlough

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of retain are detain, keep, reserve, and withhold. While all these words mean "to hold in one's possession or under one's control," retain implies continued keeping, especially against threatened seizure or forced loss.

managed to retain their dignity even in poverty

The meanings of detain and retain largely overlap; however, detain suggests a delay in letting go.

detained them for questioning

In some situations, the words keep and retain are roughly equivalent. However, keep may suggest a holding securely in one's possession, custody, or control.

keep this while I'm gone

The words reserve and retain are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reserve suggests a keeping in store for future use.

reserve some of your energy for the last mile

The words withhold and retain can be used in similar contexts, but withhold implies restraint in letting go or a refusal to let go.

withheld information from the authorities

单词	retain
释义	retain verb re·tain ri-ˈtān retained; retaining; retains transitive verb 1 a : to keep in possession or use b : to keep in one's pay or service specifically : to employ by paying a retainer c : to keep in mind or memory : remember 2 : to hold secure or intact Synonyms hold keep reserve withhold See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences A landlord may retain part of your deposit if you break the lease. They insisted on retaining old customs. You will retain your rights as a citizen. The TV show has retained its popularity for many years. The company's goal is to attract and retain good employees. The team failed to retain him, and he became a free agent. They have decided to retain a firm to conduct a survey. You may need to retain an attorney. See More Recent Examples on the Web Our national prognosis would likely be brighter had Biden, the unfailingly moderate voice of the establishment, simply been trying to scare up enough votes for Democrats to retain control of the Senate and the House in November. Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2022 The optics weren't good in that Lamet had only recently reached five years of major-league service time, which meant the Brewers were no longer able to simply option him to the minor leagues and retain control of him. Todd Rosiak, Journal Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2022 Even if the Glazers retain control of the club, by this time next year that might be the case. Justin Lahart, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Their race, one of the last notable Democratic House primaries of the midterm season, highlighted party splinters ahead of what’s expected to be a tight November fight to retain control of Congress. Isabella Murray, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2022 The same Monmouth poll found that 59 percent of young voters want Democrats to retain control of Congress in November, compared to only 34 percent who prefer the GOP. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 17 Aug. 2022 In this scenario, employees are able to cut back on the time typically wasted on travel to HQ, and employers can retain greater control over operations that a physical environment affords. Dan Zakai, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 Angelos, 55, prefers to sell a piece of the Orioles while continuing to retain his family’s majority control, two people told The Baltimore Sun in interviews. Jeff Barker, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2022 Want to retain more control over your data in the cloud? Scott Gilbertson, Wired, 1 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English reteinen, retainen, from Anglo-French retenir, reteigner, from Latin retinēre to hold back, restrain, from re- + tenēre to hold — more at thin First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Kids Definition retain verb re·tain ri-ˈtān retained; retaining 1 : to keep or continue to use They retain old customs. 2 : to hold safe or unchanged Lead retains heat. Medical Definition retain transitive verb re·tain ri-ˈtān 1 : to hold or keep in retain fluids 2 : to keep in mind or memory Legal Definition retain transitive verb re·tain ri-ˈtān 1 : to keep in possession or use 2 : to keep in one's pay or service specifically : to employ (as a lawyer) by paying a retainer retain verb 1 as in to keep to continue to have in one's possession or power I plan to retain the family heirlooms until my own children are mature enough to appreciate them, and then I will lovingly pass them on Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance keep hold preserve possess withhold save have reserve protect conserve enjoy guard own hold on to hang on to manage control boast detain cherish direct rule treasure harbor command hug bear cling (to) Antonyms & Near Antonyms relinquish yield give surrender release contribute abandon give up drop lose cede discard donate reject dump hand over repudiate decline hand out spurn See More 2 as in to possess to keep, control, or experience as one's own that author retains the right to veto any changes in his books suggested by his publisher's notoriously intrusive editor Synonyms & Similar Words possess have own enjoy hold keep reserve command withhold carry rejoice in boast bear show off sport Antonyms & Near Antonyms want relinquish lack renounce cede yield abandon surrender discard require disclaim need dump reject hand over repudiate spurn decline disown See More 3 as in to employ to provide with a paying job her neighbor retained her as a nanny for the summer, thus giving her something to do until school started again Synonyms & Similar Words employ recruit hire engage pay enlist place assume fee rehire lay on take on promote reemploy reengage sign (up or on) job partner upgrade subcontract apprentice contract advance scout headhunt keep (on) Antonyms & Near Antonyms can dismiss discharge sack fire axe ax lay off lock out furlough See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of retain are detain, keep, reserve, and withhold. While all these words mean "to hold in one's possession or under one's control," retain implies continued keeping, especially against threatened seizure or forced loss. managed to retain their dignity even in poverty The meanings of detain and retain largely overlap; however, detain suggests a delay in letting go. detained them for questioning In some situations, the words keep and retain are roughly equivalent. However, keep may suggest a holding securely in one's possession, custody, or control. keep this while I'm gone The words reserve and retain are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reserve suggests a keeping in store for future use. reserve some of your energy for the last mile The words withhold and retain can be used in similar contexts, but withhold implies restraint in letting go or a refusal to let go. withheld information from the authorities
随便看	blinter blintz blintze blintzes bliny blinyes blinys blip blipped blipping blips blirt bliss bliss out blissed blissed out blissed-out blisses blisses out blissful blissful ignorance blissfuler blissfulest blissfuller blissfullest

retain

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

Medical Definition

transitive verb

Legal Definition

transitive verb

verb

Synonym Chooser