retention

noun re·ten·tion \ ri-ˈten(t)-shən \

|Updated on: 16 Aug 2018

Definition of retention

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

See retention defined for English-language learners

See retention defined for kids

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 of retention from the Web

The project will also install traffic signals, do maintenance work on both railroad crossings, and include a stormwater retention pond, according to a July 3 Wisconsin Department of Transportation update.

— henry j. morgan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Construction will close Mequon Road for 4-5 months at Country Aire Drive in Germantown," 11 July 2018
Roughly 120,000 gallons have been captured in two retention ponds constructed after the collapse of the first half of the structure, said John Mura, a spokesman for the state Energy and Environment Cabinet.

— darcy costello, The Courier-Journal, "Barton 1792 spill filled big bourbon ponds with thousands of gallons," 6 July 2018
With his unbelievable ball retention and strength, the midfielder is able to win the ball and draw in two or more opposition players at once, creating space for his teammates before releasing the ball.

— SI.com, "One of a Kind: Why Replacing Mousa Dembele Will Be No Easy Task for Tottenham Hotspur," 21 June 2018
Inspiring an interest in these topics is also key to retention and success.

— bonnie j. dunbar, Scientific American, "Sally Ride’s Legacy Lives On," 18 June 2018
By Reed Klass | Jeff Siner 'All eyes are on me' Throughout organized team activities and minicamp, Rivera rearranged defensive back combinations to test information retention and compatibility, and to find ideal matchups.

— jourdan rodrigue, charlotteobserver, "Last man standing from Panthers' 'shop-hungry' draft knows what must happen next," 14 June 2018
To measure the success of these trainings, Starbucks will likely do spot audits of their stores, implement retention and hiring practices to promote diversity, and measure engagement and interest in training from their employees.

— christina coleman, Glamour, "Fixing Racism Is a Tall Order for Starbucks—But They’re Game to Try," 1 June 2018
So for Uber and Lyft, retention and expanding the workforce is clearly a big challenge.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "The Rideshare Guy on Uber, Lyft, and what their drivers really want," 22 May 2018
The retention ponds built on those courses can leak into the karst and trigger sinkholes.

— chris bodenner, Smithsonian, "The Science Behind Florida’s Sinkhole Epidemic," 30 Mar. 2011

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'retention.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.