RETAINER Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

retainer

noun

ri-ˈtā-nər

Definition of retainer

as in servant

a person hired to perform household or personal services knights being dressed for battle by their retainers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of retainer Do the Blue Jackets have a sports psychologist on staff or on retainer? — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 5 June 2026 Fee-only compensation can take a number of forms, including hourly, retainer or flat fees or a percentage of assets the advisor manages for the client. — Liz Weston, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 May 2026 People have retainers for their lawyers. — Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 21 May 2026 Most firms require a retainer fee of several thousand dollars, as well as monthly payments. — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for retainer

Recent Examples of Synonyms for retainer

Noun

The film also features Odysseus’ servant Eumaeus (John Leguizamo) and Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, the Greek king of Sparta.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
Lawyers are, in his formulation, both loyal servants of their clients and public citizens with special responsibility for the quality of justice.

— Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of servant

Noun

Many crew members are hired through third-party agencies with varying practices, and actual earnings can vary depending on the cruise line, the individual employee's experience level and other factors.

— Nathan Diller, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Diaz’s attorney says that man was Oscar Villafranca, another employee of the taco stand.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of employee

Noun

This British drama series follows a woman named Emma over the course of more than six decades of her life, from the 1900s through the 1970s, working her way from impoverished maid to the world’s richest woman.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Beyreuther came to the United States from Germany as a live-in maid 16 years ago.

— Swasti Singhai, USA Today, 4 July 2026

Definition of maid

Noun

Advocates viewed Cal/OSHA’S recognition of the detainees as workers as a victory that could pave the way for future labor rights fights at other detention centers in the state.

— Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
The women who get promoted aren’t always the hardest workers in the room.

— Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of worker

Browse Nearby Words

retained

retainer

retainers

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Retainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retainer. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of retainer

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on retainer

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

xeric

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes