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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of retained
Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
The pitching department was largely spared and assistant hitting coach John Soteropulos was the only member of the hitting group retained.
—Mac Cerullo, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
In the end, Rory McIlroy, who finally completed the career Grand Slam last year at the Masters, retained the green jacket with a second-straight win.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
The pitching department was largely spared and assistant hitting coach John Soteropulos was the only member of the hitting group retained.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2026
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who constructed the failing roster, was retained.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
The bats retained plenty of heat while in a cargo hold during the flight from the East Coast.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
One study found that those who used ChatGPT retained significantly less than those who relied on traditional methods such as study groups.
—Catherine Thorbecke, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
Sites that fail to comply could face civil action from the parents of kids who viewed pornography or anyone whose data is unlawfully retained.
—Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
Cakenhagen, a café that doles out beautiful pastries; and the historic Grøften restaurant, which has retained its good vibes since 1874.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
The pitching department was largely spared and assistant hitting coach John Soteropulos was the only member of the hitting group retained.
—Mac Cerullo, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
In the end, Rory McIlroy, who finally completed the career Grand Slam last year at the Masters, retained the green jacket with a second-straight win.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
The pitching department was largely spared and assistant hitting coach John Soteropulos was the only member of the hitting group retained.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2026
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who constructed the failing roster, was retained.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
The bats retained plenty of heat while in a cargo hold during the flight from the East Coast.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
One study found that those who used ChatGPT retained significantly less than those who relied on traditional methods such as study groups.
—Catherine Thorbecke, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
Sites that fail to comply could face civil action from the parents of kids who viewed pornography or anyone whose data is unlawfully retained.
—Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retained
Adjective
-
In the Village Voice, where the Consumer Guide became one of the fabled alt-weekly’s go-to features from the ’70s through the ’90s, Christgau wrote like a possessed fan who breathed insight, making every capsule sound like a psychedelic sonnet.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
29 Mar. 2026
-
David Dastmalchian stars as Jack Delroy, an opportunistic host who invites a possessed girl and a child psychologist as his guests for the night in a desperate bid for ratings.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The breaks kept coming for Orlando.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Trump kept a straight face during Obama’s speech, and at one point even waved during the president’s remarks.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Iran has also conducted drone strikes that damaged data centers in the region that are owned by Amazon Web Services, which operates the world’s largest cloud platform—high-value targets with major financial and operational ramifications.—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The property has been family owned for over a century and is ideal for multi-generational holidays or several couples traveling with kids.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In 1908, the Haskell & Barker Car Company ranked as the most complete factory for the construction of freight cars in the United States and employed more men than any other manufacturing establishment in the state of Indiana.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Papadimitriou noted that the whole shipping industry is trying to drum up exports from alternative regions to keep oil moving and, crucially, to stay employed.—
Henrik Pettersson,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.—
Daniel S. Levine,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Lions had 42 varsity players this year, including 22 girls.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The junior right-hander finally had some breathing room.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The industry first broke into my social circle, in Shanghai, in January, when a German filmmaker friend was hired to join a set in Xi’an, the ancient capital known for its terra-cotta warriors.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Connelly hired Booth away from Minnesota in 2017.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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More affordable housing is set to be preserved in Charlotte, thanks to a local fund that has almost doubled its spending ability fueled by private sector investments.—
Desiree Mathurin
April 24,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Apr. 2026
-
While many of the building’s original features—including the soaring stucco ceilings decorated with a sun motif - have been preserved, the look and feel are more 21st-century magpie than slavish historical reverence.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retained. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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