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
Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2026
Dan Duggan, New York Times, 16 June 2026
At the same time, the Ellisons have retained Jeffrey Kessler to get in the legal octagon for them if the state throws down.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 June 2026
Chawla, a progressive, also acquired the support of local Democratic clubs and local unions, while Kaplan retained backing from local law enforcement and business groups.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Konosuke Takeshita retained the AEW International Championship with a win over Lee Johnson.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
The city has connected aldermen to Stonepeak and retained law firm Jones Day for independent analysis, Novelo said.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 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, 12 June 2026
According to the staff report, data is retained for a maximum of one year unless part of an active investigation, and annual audits are conducted to verify compliance with privacy policies.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
In hiring Jeffrey Kessler, Sorsby has retained a top sports litigator for his case against the NCAA.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 June 2026
Adjective
No Kansas justice has ever been non-retained.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2026
Verb
Phillips retained his role as the first-team slot corner for most of the spring.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 16 June 2026
At the same time, the Ellisons have retained Jeffrey Kessler to get in the legal octagon for them if the state throws down.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 June 2026
Chawla, a progressive, also acquired the support of local Democratic clubs and local unions, while Kaplan retained backing from local law enforcement and business groups.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Konosuke Takeshita retained the AEW International Championship with a win over Lee Johnson.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
The city has connected aldermen to Stonepeak and retained law firm Jones Day for independent analysis, Novelo said.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 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, 12 June 2026
According to the staff report, data is retained for a maximum of one year unless part of an active investigation, and annual audits are conducted to verify compliance with privacy policies.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
In hiring Jeffrey Kessler, Sorsby has retained a top sports litigator for his case against the NCAA.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retained
Adjective
-
But no homes are so possessed with pottery of the truly enormous variety as Jeremiah Brent and Nate Berkus, whose Portuguese farmhouse appears on the cover of our June issue.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
22 May 2026
-
Once Nikki returns to herself, she’s still left with extreme trauma and consequences, given that the possessed version of her murdered two people.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Despite some wage growth, incomes haven’t kept pace with persistent inflation.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
But somehow, the Valkyries went cold and the Storm kept fighting.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The fire at the massive cold-storage warehouse owned by Lineage Logistics broke out Wednesday.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
The two-acre facility, owned by the city and operated by Downtown Skyport, is the busiest commercial heliport in the world, hosting up to 200 flights a day.—
Anne Kadet,
Curbed,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Pew found that just 6% of moms work full-time while their male partner isn’t employed, or works part-time.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
-
Last spring, as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency employed slash-and-burn tactics to bring federal agencies to heel, local farm service centers in Kansas were hit especially hard.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
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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Treatment wiped out the cancer, but Lucy's weakened body had another ailment, one that stopped her from making stem cells, blood or platelets.—
Siafa Lewis,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
But Kyle had a comeback better than the 29-point comeback by the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
But a director hired to helm a pilot, as James Burrows, who died Friday at 85, was again and again — almost as a lucky charm — helps set the tone for the series.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
Firms hired large classes of associates, assigned them substantial quantities of legal work, billed clients for that work, and promoted a relatively small percentage into partnership.—
Joseph Andrew,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
After excavation was halted, the remains were reinterred, and the site was preserved under the National Park Service.—
Christina Ray Stanton,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
-
The company preserved Pan Am logos and gold paneling, and restored the original reflecting pools.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retained. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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