Synonyms

retained

American

[ri-teynd] / rɪˈteɪnd /

adjective

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.
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.
(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.
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.
kept in check or held in place; held back.

On completion of the dam, the retained water was diverted for irrigation via two canals.
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

the simple past tense and past participle of retain.

Other Word Forms

unretained adjective

Etymology

Origin of retained

retain ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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.

The territory is largely self-governing, with control of foreign affairs and defence retained by Copenhagen.

From BBC

He retained his devotion to Judaism in various forms, attended a variety of synagogues and sometimes chanted biblical verses or gave guest sermons.

From The Wall Street Journal

Its argument was that it retained the rights to the characters as long as any of Conan Doyle’s novels or stories remained under copyright, which wouldn’t expire until 2023.

From Los Angeles Times

The EU and 23 nations around the Mediterranean have signed an agreement, which states that those species cannot be "retained on board, transhipped, landed, transferred, stored, sold or displayed or offered for sale".

From BBC

Australia had already retained the Ashes by winning the first three Tests, though this defeat denies them the opportunity of a 5-0 clean sweep.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023