1
as in servant
a person hired to perform household or personal services
knights being dressed for battle by their retainers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in employee
one who works for another for wages or a salary
lifelong civil service retainers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of retainer
Imhoff says the retainer and testing are at no cost to them.
—
Christa Swanson, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
Pullman was president of the over 15,000-member State Police union from 2012 until his resignation in 2018, during which time Lynch worked as a lobbyist representing the union in exchange for monthly retainer payments.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
The School Board will have to vote again to approve a retainer agreement after it's worked out by the Milwaukee City Attorney's Office, which generally handles MPS' legal matters.
—Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Then their families have to put a retainer on an attorney, and they get put on a plane to Texas, where the detention continues.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for retainer
Christa Swanson, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
Pullman was president of the over 15,000-member State Police union from 2012 until his resignation in 2018, during which time Lynch worked as a lobbyist representing the union in exchange for monthly retainer payments.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
The School Board will have to vote again to approve a retainer agreement after it's worked out by the Milwaukee City Attorney's Office, which generally handles MPS' legal matters.
—Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Then their families have to put a retainer on an attorney, and they get put on a plane to Texas, where the detention continues.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for retainer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retainer
Noun
-
Thank you to the public servants wrestling with impossible decisions.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Digital ethics expert Davi Ottenheimer argued that the presentation evoked both blackface and the fantasy of a controllable Black servant.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The cuts are required because of employee pay raises, including 23% hikes over three years that were awarded to most workers in 2023, and relatively sluggish growth in city revenue.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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In addition to just being able to identify your luggage to an airline employee, photos also provide peace of mind and evidence for insurance purposes, should anything happen to your bag and what’s inside it.—
Bailey Berg,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Shot in France and partially underwritten by a French production company, Jude’s interpretation transposes the maid’s experience to that of a Romanian immigrant.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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As Cio-Cio-San’s maid Suzuki, Kayla Nanto was less matronly of presence and voice than some.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The hospitality union represents roughly 2,000 workers at the arena, potentially disrupting one of the biggest sporting events in the world.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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In April 2009, a unanimous council — including first-year member Todd Gloria — embraced Sanders’ plan to impose a 6% cut in pay and benefits for city workers, cutting the shortfall in half.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retainer. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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