retained
Americanadjective
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not lost, destroyed, released, sold, or given away; kept.
The vendor overvalued both the sold 1,790 acres and the retained 566 acres of Green Meadows.
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kept in use or practice; continued or preserved.
We are proud of the retained traditions of entrepreneurship of our ancestors, their respectful and careful attitude to land and craft.
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(of something perceived or learned) remembered or kept in mind.
They get taught it in basic training, but without constant practice, land navigation is not a retained skill for the average soldier.
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engaged for service, often by payment of a preliminary fee.
To apply for this opportunity in confidence, send your resume and remuneration details to the retained consultants, Kirk & Paulson Consulting Ltd., for an initial interview.
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kept in check or held in place; held back.
On completion of the dam, the retained water was diverted for irrigation via two canals.
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Medicine/Medical. kept in the body, especially abnormally; not expelled or eliminated.
Three weeks after delivery I was back in the hospital, seriously ill and having a D&C to remove a retained placenta.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of retained
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ms. Taylor retained her job under a new title, vice president and associate vice provost for opportunity, connections and success.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
Acidity also disappeared much faster at 30°C. Meanwhile, mangoes kept at 12°C retained significantly more acidity, helping preserve flavor balance.
From Science Daily • May 23, 2026
The Labour government has retained the measures and in some cases expanded on them.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
The Los Angeles Times collected soil samples in March 2025 and published the first evidence that already remediated home sites retained elevated levels of toxic substances.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
Pursuit planes were traded for additional cargo ships or retained for emergency invoice duty and small-parcel service; trucks and tanks were procured from the ground forces and used for short-distance road hauling.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
