1
as in kept
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in owned
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in employed
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of retained
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 23 Dec. 2024
They are also believed to have retained access to much of their billion-dollar fortune.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Dec. 2024
Putin said Russia retained control over these weapons.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
The attorneys sold controlling interest of the horse in February of that year, but retained a 20% stake through the Triple Crown races.
—Josh Wood, The Courier-Journal, 23 Dec. 2024
She was suspended Wednesday and has retained attorney Eric Sanders, a former cop who specializes in representing police officers in claims against the city.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 22 Dec. 2024
Celebrating its 100th birthday in 2025, Deerfield Beach has retained much of its Old Florida charm.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024
She was then suspended Wednesday and has retained attorney Eric Sanders, a former cop who specializes in representing police officers in claims against the city, and intends to sue.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 21 Dec. 2024
While the college football season has retained much of its classical contours, the expansion of the postseason has more or less invalidated the Act’s duration clause.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
Though Grohl retained a divorce attorney just before his September announcement, the former Nirvana drummer had stopped working with the person in November and remained committed to trying to work things out, according to reports.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 23 Dec. 2024
They are also believed to have retained access to much of their billion-dollar fortune.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 Dec. 2024
Putin said Russia retained control over these weapons.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
The attorneys sold controlling interest of the horse in February of that year, but retained a 20% stake through the Triple Crown races.
—Josh Wood, The Courier-Journal, 23 Dec. 2024
She was suspended Wednesday and has retained attorney Eric Sanders, a former cop who specializes in representing police officers in claims against the city.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 22 Dec. 2024
Celebrating its 100th birthday in 2025, Deerfield Beach has retained much of its Old Florida charm.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024
She was then suspended Wednesday and has retained attorney Eric Sanders, a former cop who specializes in representing police officers in claims against the city, and intends to sue.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 21 Dec. 2024
While the college football season has retained much of its classical contours, the expansion of the postseason has more or less invalidated the Act’s duration clause.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retained
Adjective
-
Mikey’s got a possessed toilet, a rotten floor, a delivery guy with a net-30 billing schedule, and insufficient staff.Marah Eakin, Vulture, 27 June 2024
-
The two-hour runtime and slow boil storytelling make the full unveiling of Linda Blair’s possessed, demonic Regan all the more devastating, providing a horror monster whose salvation is all too easy to root for.Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2024
Verb
-
This marks a disappointing end to a season that has been marred by injuries, including Trent Williams' ankle injury, which has kept him out for the past four games.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
-
While the Saints' offense has struggled to light up the scoreboard, their defense has kept them competitive.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Several suits, guns and other personal items previously owned by former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel, who received a 15-year prison sentence in October after pleading guilty to 27 felony charges, will be auctioned off on New Year's Day.Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 24 Dec. 2024
-
All Planet Fitness locations are independently owned and operated by individual franchise owners, so hours may vary by location.Amaris Encinas, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
This meta action comedy is showrunner Charles Yu's adaption of his own 2020 satirical novel of the same name, which employed the screenplay format as a narrative structure.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024
-
Nearly 150,000 individuals without legal status are employed in Maryland, according to a 2019 report by the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington.Mennatalla Ibrahim, Baltimore Sun, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Yet the game held more significance for sentimental reasons given the mammoth trade intertwining the two teams’ futures.Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024
-
Also, the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote that numerous courts have held First Amendment rights exist in libraries.Jim Saunders, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Pepper in some vests and leather blazers, and Phillips had a collection of pieces that felt true to Dylan's spirit.Christian Allaire, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024
-
Though the looks were (not surprisingly) all-black, Phillips had fun exploring how Cash’s personal style bled into Dylan’s this time around.Christian Allaire, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
All will be hired locally with an average salary of more than $91,000.Andy Humbles, The Tennessean, 24 Dec. 2024
-
As the executive producer of the in-the-round Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Walker built the largest theater subscription base in the country, hired countless Chicago actors and took many a busload of seniors back to the songs of their youth.Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Alongside traditional fixtures like the 2,700-pound cast iron chandeliers recreated from original construction drawings and photos with 21st-century energy-efficient lighting, graffiti has been preserved with every effort to find, credit and showcase the artists.Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
-
There's no dearth of Christmas stories and images preserved in the American-Statesman archives, which go back 153 years, when the newspaper's forerunner was called the Democratic Statesman.Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 23 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near retained
Cite this Entry
“Retained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retained. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share