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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of retainer
The Heat need a toe doctor on retainer.
—
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The Live With Kelly and Mark host engaged in a titillating conversation with husband Mark Consuelos on Wednesday's edition of the beloved talk show, with the star admitting that her oral retainer sometimes dissuades her husband's advances in the bedroom.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Apr. 2026
Wearing a night guard can help support better sleep, healthier teeth and reduced jaw discomfort and custom retainers help maintain alignment and protect your smile.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Zoley offered to put Lewandowski on retainer — a recurring consulting fee — with GEO Group, according to two industry sources familiar with the matter.
—Julia Ainsley, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for retainer
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The Live With Kelly and Mark host engaged in a titillating conversation with husband Mark Consuelos on Wednesday's edition of the beloved talk show, with the star admitting that her oral retainer sometimes dissuades her husband's advances in the bedroom.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Apr. 2026
Wearing a night guard can help support better sleep, healthier teeth and reduced jaw discomfort and custom retainers help maintain alignment and protect your smile.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Zoley offered to put Lewandowski on retainer — a recurring consulting fee — with GEO Group, according to two industry sources familiar with the matter.
—Julia Ainsley, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for retainer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retainer
Noun
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The senator from Texas, one of his party’s most effective fundraisers and influential legislators, devoted his losing campaign and most of the past decade in politics to a wan effort to portray himself as the president’s faithful servant.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
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This scholarship also sees the relation between media and government as variable rather than constant, with news media sometimes acting like faithful servants, sometimes more like honest brokers, and sometimes—more rarely—like advocates of the underdog, depending on political circumstances.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 May 2026
Noun
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The nine missing people are all employees of the mill.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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The union also pointed to data that the state published shortly after adopting telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrating how remote work decreased Californian’s emissions and saved state employees’ money.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Sneaking around like a scullery maid feels like a big ask on a spenny weekend break.—
Harriet Marsden,
TheWeek,
2 June 2026
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The festival is rooted in the story of Lord Krishna, the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is said to have played pranks by splashing maids with water and colors.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
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Gang intervention workers have been credited by city officials as one of the factors behind significant reductions in violent crime in recent years, with homicides and shootings both falling to near-historic lows.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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The implosion occurred during a shift change, and the six workers whose bodies were found were in an area of the site where workers would go before their shift, Matt Amos, Longview fire battalion chief, said, per The Guardian.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retainer. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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