retain

re·tain

verb \ri-ˈtān\

Definition of RETAIN

transitive verb

1

a : to keep in possession or use b : to keep in one's pay or service; specifically : to employ by paying a retainer c : to keep in mind or memory : remember

2

: to hold secure or intact

Examples of RETAIN

1. A landlord may retain part of your deposit if you break the lease.
2. They insisted on retaining old customs.
3. You will retain your rights as a citizen.
4. The TV show has retained its popularity for many years.
5. The company's goal is to attract and retain good employees.
6. The team failed to retain him, and he became a free agent.
7. They have decided to retain a firm to conduct a survey.
8. You may need to retain an attorney.

Origin of RETAIN

Middle English reteinen, retainen, from Anglo-French retenir, reteigner, from Latin retinēre to hold back, restrain, from re- + tenēre to hold — more at thin

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to RETAIN

Synonyms: hold, reserve, keep, withhold

Antonyms: give up, hand over, release, relinquish, surrender, yield

Related Words: conserve, guard, preserve, protect, save; boast, enjoy, have, own, possess; command, control, detain, direct, manage, rule; bear, harbor; cherish, cling (to), hug, treasure

Near Antonyms: abandon, cede, drop; contribute, donate, give, hand out; discard, dump; decline, reject, repudiate, spurn; lose

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

See Synonym Discussion at keep

Rhymes with RETAIN

abstain, again, air lane, airplane, amain, arcane, arraign, attain, Bahrain, Bassein, Beltane, biplane, birdbrain, block plane, bloodstain, boat train, brain drain, bugbane, campaign, champagne, champaign, Champlain, checkrein, chicane, chilblain, choke chain, chow mein, cinquain, cocaine, Cockaigne, Coltrane, coxswain, complain, constrain, contain, cordwain, cowbane, crackbrain, demesne, deplane, destain, detain, detrain, devein, disdain, distain, distrain, dogbane, domain, drivetrain, dumb cane, edge-grain, Elaine, enchain, enplane, entrain, ethane, explain, eyestrain, fast lane, fleabane, floatplane, floodplain, food chain, forebrain, Fort Wayne, Gawain, germane, Great Dane, grosgrain, half plane, henbane, hindbrain, house-train, humane, Hussein, Igraine, immane, inane, ingrain, insane, jack plane, lamebrain, left brain, lightplane, lo mein, long-chain, Lorraine, maintain, marchpane, membrane, methane, midbrain, migraine, Montaigne, montane, moraine, mortmain, Moulmein, mundane, neck-rein, New Spain, obtain, octane, ordain, pertain, plain-Jane, profane, propane, ptomaine, purslane, quatrain, raise Cain, refrain, remain, restrain, retrain, right brain, romaine, sailplane, sea-lane, seaplane, seatrain, split-brain, sustain, tailplane, tearstain, terrane, Touraine, towplane, triplane, Ukraine, unchain, urbane, vervain, vicereine, villein, volplane, warplane, wave train, wolfsbane