retain

[ ri-teyn ]

/ rɪˈteɪn /

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See synonyms for: retain / retained / retaining on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to keep possession of.

to continue to use, practice, etc.: to retain an old custom.

to continue to hold or have: to retain a prisoner in custody; a cloth that retains its color.

to keep in mind;remember.

to hold in place or position.

to engage, especially by payment of a preliminary fee: to retain a lawyer.

Medicine/Medical. to keep in the body, especially abnormally; fail to eliminate: I was referred to a specialty clinic and they discovered that I was retaining urine.

OTHER WORDS FOR retain

1 hold, preserve.

See synonyms for retain on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR retain

1 loose, lose.

4 forget.

See antonyms for retain on Thesaurus.com

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of retain

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English reteinen, from Old French retenir, from Latin retinēre “to hold back, hold fast,” equivalent to re- re- + -tinēre, combining form of tenēre “to hold”

synonym study for retain

1. See keep.

OTHER WORDS FROM retain

re·tain·a·ble, adjectivere·tain·a·bil·i·ty

[ri-tey-nuh-bil-i-tee], /rɪˌteɪ nəˈbɪl ɪ ti/, re·tain·a·ble·ness, nounre·tain·ment, nounnon·re·tain·a·ble, adjective

non·re·tain·ment, nounun·re·tain·a·ble, adjectiveun·re·tain·ing, adjective

Words nearby retain

retail, retailing, retail politics, retail price index, retail therapy, retain, retained, retained earnings, retained object, retained object complement, retainer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use retain in a sentence

He successfully leveraged skepticism about the system to aid his own ambitions to retain power.
What happens to an entrenched two-party system when one party undermines the system?|Philip Bump|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
The one thing that you have to retain is being able to celebrate you and your achievements, not as contrasted to anybody else’s.
How Gideon the Ninth author Tamsyn Muir queers the space opera|Constance Grady|February 5, 2021|Vox
He legally retains authority over much of her day-to-day life, though he temporarily stepped away from that role in 2019.
Britney Spears and the trauma of being young, female and famous in the ’90s|Ashley Fetters|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
This allows the cheese to retain its moisture and results in that smooth, Velveeta-like texture we love so much.
Scientific tips for making perfect nacho cheese|Sandra Gutierrez G.|February 4, 2021|Popular-Science

Researchers seem to agree that as children’s ability to retain memories emerges, their ability to recall particular events is increased when adults talk to them about what they experienced after the fact.
What happens to our lost childhood memories? Motherhood sent me looking for answers.|Missy Ryan|February 4, 2021|Washington Post
And despite the good scholarship the authors have managed to retain the buoyancy and upbeat air attendant on most comics.
The Best Coffee Table Books of 2014|Robert Birnbaum|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now both breweries are fighting to retain their half of the cake.
House of the Witch: The Renegade Craft Brewers of Panama|Jeff Campagna|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We still retain the 27 November habit, through sheer gluttony more than anything else.
Confessions of a Turkey Killer|Tom Sykes|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Canada and the United States are the only industrialized countries that retain birthright citizenship.
Get Ready to Start Hearing About ‘Executive Amnesty for Anchor Babies’|Eleanor Clift|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rohrabacher though did retain the bottle for official use in his Washington, D.C. office.
Meditation Rugs, Swords, and Horse Head Fiddles: The Strangest Gifts Given to Government Bigwigs|Ben Jacobs|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Still the King managed to retain his popularity, and in his own way attempted to ameliorate the lot of his subjects.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
The latter, on his side, was anxious to retain Massna's affections, and at once offered him the command of the Army of Italy.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Since he died from cancer in the stomach, he could retain very little food.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Few students master these attachments thoroughly, and those who do, fail to retain them long.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
They know where to find the coveted knowledge, but they do not possess it or retain it in their minds.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)

British Dictionary definitions for retain

retain

/ (rɪˈteɪn) /

verb (tr)

to keep in one's possession

to be able to hold or containsoil that retains water

(of a person) to be able to remember (information, facts, etc) without difficulty

to hold in position

to keep for one's future use, as by paying a retainer or nominal chargeto retain one's rooms for the holidays

law to engage the services of (a barrister) by payment of a preliminary fee

(in selling races) to buy back a winner that one owns when it is auctioned after the race

(of racehorse trainers) to pay an advance fee to (a jockey) so as to have prior or exclusive claims upon his services throughout the season

Derived forms of retain

retainable, adjectiveretainment, noun

Word Origin for retain

C14: from Old French retenir, from Latin retinēre to hold back, from re- + tenēre to hold

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

retain

OTHER WORDS FOR retain

OPPOSITES FOR retain

Origin of retain

synonym study for retain

OTHER WORDS FROM retain

Words nearby retain

Words related to retain

How to use retain in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for retain

Derived forms of retain

Word Origin for retain