Synonyms for retain
rɪˈteɪnre·tain

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. retainverb

   Synonyms:
   keep

2. retainverb

   To keep in possession or use.

   Synonyms:
   keep

3. retainverb

   To keep in one's pay or service.

   Synonyms:
   keep

4. retainverb

   To employ by paying a retainer.

   Synonyms:
   keep

5. retainverb

   To hold secure.

   Synonyms:
   keep

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. retain

   Keep, signifying generally to have and retain in possession, is the terse, strong Saxon term for many acts which are more exactly discriminated by other words. We keep, observe, or celebrate a festival; we keep or hold a prisoner in custody; we keep or preserve silence, keep the peace, preserve order — preserve being the more formal word; we keep or maintain a horse, a servant, etc.; a man supports his family; we keep or obey a commandment; keep or fulfil a promise. In the expressions to keep a secret, keep one's own counsel, keep faith, or keep the faith, such words as preserve or maintain could not be substituted without loss. A person keeps a shop or store, conducts or carries on a business; he keeps or carries a certain line of goods; we may keep or restrain one from folly, crime, or violence; we keep from or refrain from evil, ourselves. Keep in the sense of guard or defend implies that the defense is effectual. Compare CELEBRATE; RESTRAIN.

   Synonyms:
   carry, carry on, celebrate, conduct, defend, detain, fulfil, guard, hold, keep, maintain, obey, observe, preserve, protect, refrain, restrain, support, sustain, withhold

   Preposition:
   Keep in hand, in mind, in or within the house; from evil; out of mischief; keep to the subject; keep for a person, an occasion, etc.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 2 votes

1. retain

   Synonyms:
   keep, hold, restrain

   Antonyms:
   abandon, forfeit, surrender

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. retainverb

   hold back within

   "This soil retains water"; "I retain this drug for a long time"; "the dam retains the water"

   Synonyms:
   keep on, continue, keep back, hold back, hold, keep

2. retain, continue, keep, keep onverb

   allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature

   "We cannot continue several servants any longer"; "She retains a lawyer"; "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"; "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"; "We kept the work going as long as we could"; "She retained her composure"; "this garment retains its shape even after many washings"

   Synonyms:
   go along, keep on, celebrate, remain, stay on, go on, stay, carry on, keep, cover, hold back, save, hold, hold on, persist in, go forward, prevent, keep open, uphold, extend, keep back, proceed, maintain, hold open, restrain, observe, bear on, preserve, sustain, continue, stay fresh

3. retain, hold, keep back, hold backverb

   secure and keep for possible future use or application

   "The landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the right to disagree"

   Synonyms:
   accommodate, wait, book, withhold, moderate, view as, support, apply, hold back, harbour, defend, take hold, bind, deem, hold up, continue, hold off, take, have, concord, check, make, admit, go for, take for, throw, defy, control, turn back, harbor, keep, obligate, carry, give, adjudge, entertain, forbear, nurse, oblige, curb, hold, conceal, confine, have got, arrest, restrain, withstand, agree, hold in, halt, contain, keep on, concur, maintain, guard, keep back, sustain, prevail, reserve, obtain, declare, stop, bear

4. retainverb

   keep in one's mind

   "I cannot retain so much information"

   Synonyms:
   keep on, continue, keep back, hold back, hold, keep

Matched Categories

1. • Hold
   • Prolong
   • Remember

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. retainverb

   Synonyms:
   hold, keep, reserve, detain, hug, keep back, keep in hand

2. retainverb

   Synonyms:
   engage (by fee paid), hire

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. retainverb

   Synonyms:
   keep, hold, reserve

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "retain":

   maintain, keep, conserve, preserve, retaining, withhold, retention, reservations, maintaining, sustain, conserving, hold, remain, retains, deduct, reservation, retained, keeping, conservation

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use retain in a sentence?

1. Edward Houghton:

   Today, if you retire at 60, you're likely to live for at least another 20 years, so you probably need to retain some exposure to growth via equity markets, at least initially, and then later on you may choose to annuitise, or look for a form of guaranteed return.

2. Mia Farrow:

   The saying means, for example, you can’t support #TIMESUP and praise sexual predators at the same time, you can’t retain your credibility as an activist (i.e. - retain the cake_ and, at the same time, praise a sexual predator (i.e. - eating the cake).

3. Thomas Jefferson:

   The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

4. Henry David Thoreau:

   It is an interesting question how far men would retain their relative rank if they were divested of their clothes.

5. Mary Wortley Montagu:

   Prudent people are very happy 'tis an exceeding fine thing, that's certain, but I was born without it, and shall retain to my day of Death the Humour of saying what I think.