retention

noun

re·​ten·​tion ri-ˈten(t)-shən How to pronounce retention (audio)
1
a
: the act of retaining : the state of being retained
b
: abnormal retaining of a fluid or secretion in a body cavity
2
a
: power of retaining : retentiveness
b
: an ability to retain things in mind
specifically : a preservation of the aftereffects of experience and learning that makes recall or recognition possible
3
: something retained

Examples of retention in a Sentence

the recruitment and retention of good employees the retention of profits from all sales pills to offset water retention the retention of things learned in school They say the herb promotes memory retention.
Recent Examples on the Web Teixeira was able to take advantage of Discord’s data retention policies, which automatically render most material impossible to recover upon deletion, to remove a record of some of his activity on the platform. Aaron Schaffer, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 So that would be my number one item, would be recruitment and retention. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 And telecommunications companies also typically have a retention time. Alexandra Hardle, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024 The building includes photovoltaic solar panels, plumbing systems that limit water waste, drought-tolerant plants and rainwater retention systems to reduce irrigation demands. Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register, 15 Mar. 2024 These financial factors mean teacher housing units have become one of the most effective retention strategies schools have at their disposal, district leaders told USA TODAY. USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 Streaming’s growing retention problem While these moves could help streamers generate more revenue and subscribers in the short term, price hikes and password-sharing crackdowns could be exacerbating the industry’s churn problem. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 6 Mar. 2024 These aspects are crucial for improving the customer experience and retention. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 This partnership could also support Native student retention. Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retention.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English retencioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin retention-, retentio, from retinēre to retain — more at retain

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of retention was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near retention

Cite this Entry

“Retention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retention. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

retention

noun
re·​ten·​tion ri-ˈten-chən How to pronounce retention (audio)
1
: the act of retaining : the state of being retained
2
: power of retaining
3
: something retained

Medical Definition

retention

noun
re·​ten·​tion ri-ˈten-chən How to pronounce retention (audio)
1
: the act of retaining: as
a
: abnormal retaining of a fluid or secretion in a body cavity
retention of urine
retention of bile
b
: the holding in place of a tooth or dental replacement by means of a retainer
2
: a preservation of the aftereffects of experience and learning that makes recall or recognition possible

Legal Definition

retention

noun
re·​ten·​tion ri-ˈten-chən How to pronounce retention (audio)
1
: the act of retaining or the state of being retained
2
: the portion of the insurance on a particular risk not reinsured or ceded by the originating insurer
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