retain

Fetched 2026-11-03 (live).

Synonyms: remain, detain, retail, regain, retrain, petain, etain, retin, retan

Antonyms: remain, detain, retail, regain, retrain, petain, etain, retin, retan

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Verb

1. Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop. To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back. Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
   • water retained by a dam
2. Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop. To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back.
3. To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back.
4. Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
   • water retained by a dam
5. To hold back (tissue or a substance, especially urine) in the body or a body organ.
6. To hold (something) secure; to prevent (something) from becoming detached or separated.
7. To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back. To keep (something) in the mind; to recall, to remember.
8. To keep (something) in the mind; to recall, to remember.
9. To keep (something) in place or use, instead of removing or abolishing it; to preserve.
10. To engage or hire (someone), especially temporarily. To employ (someone, especially a lawyer) by paying a retainer (“fee one pays to reserve another person's time for services”); specifically, to engage (a barrister) by making an initial payment to secure their services if needed.
11. To employ (someone, especially a lawyer) by paying a retainer (“fee one pays to reserve another person's time for services”); specifically, to engage (a barrister) by making an initial payment to secure their services if needed.
12. To keep (someone) in one's pay or service; also, to maintain (someone) as a dependent or follower.
13. To control or restrain (oneself); to exercise self-control over (oneself).
14. To keep (someone) in custody; to prevent (someone) from leaving.
15. To declare (a sin) not forgiven.
16. To keep in control or possession; to continue having. To have the ability to keep something in the mind; to use the memory. Of a body or body organ: to hold back tissue or a substance. To refrain from doing something. To be a dependent or follower to someone. To continue, to remain.
17. To keep in control or possession; to continue having.
18. To have the ability to keep something in the mind; to use the memory.
19. Of a body or body organ: to hold back tissue or a substance.
20. To refrain from doing something. To be a dependent or follower to someone. To continue, to remain.
21. To refrain from doing something.
22. To be a dependent or follower to someone.
23. To continue, to remain.

Noun

1. An act of holding or keeping something; a possession, a retention.
2. Synonym of retinue (“a group of attendants or servants, especially of someone considered important”).

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wiktionary) · cached copy, not a rewrite.