Synonyms for retain
rɪˈteɪnre·tain

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

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 Antonyms(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

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 Antonyms(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. retain

   Synonyms:
   keep, hold, restrain

   Antonyms:
   abandon, forfeit, surrender

Princeton's WordNet(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

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 Synonymes(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. retainverb

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

2. retainverb

   Synonyms:
   engage (by fee paid), hire

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. retainverb

   Synonyms:
   keep, hold, reserve

PPDB, the paraphrase database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these paraphrases:

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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How to use retain in a sentence?

1. Kevin Yoder:

   I put a focus on minority recruitment and retention and making sure that KU had an infrastructure in place to recruit and retain kids of color, that taught me a lot about organizing at the time.

2. RVM:

   It is ironic that we are particular about flushing out all the dirt through the Drain, but we continue to retain a lot of it in our Brain.-RVM

3. Sophal Ear:

   He determined that the only way forward would be to retain power by any means necessary, he is setting the stage for whatever may happen next but with him and his family in control, always.

4. Speaker Pelosi:

   I do believe that the work of this committee, in order to retain the confidence of the American people, must act in a way that has no partisanship, is all about patriotism, and I'm very proud of the members of the committee and I'm very certain they will accomplish that goal. We have to again ignore the antics of those who do not want to find the truth.

5. Stephanie Shaw:

   Barbie has a rich history as an animal rights activist, she's actually been fur-free for her entire history, we are delighted to see that she can retain her animal friendly image.