retainer

noun

ri-ˈtā-nər How to pronounce retainer (audio)
Definition of retainernext
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

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
  1. servant
  2. employee
  3. maid
  4. worker
Noun
  • The Oscar-winning director cast the actor as Eumaeus, the faithful servant of Odysseus (Matt Damon) coming to terms with his grief over his master’s prolonged absence.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 19 July 2026
  • Eumaeus, who is portrayed by John Leguizamo, is Odysseus’ loyal servant who helps him reclaim the kingdom of Ithaca.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Definition of servant
Noun
  • Two Boston city councilors are pushing for a change in city law that would require Mayor Michelle Wu to report street projects annually as Wu faces criticism for stalling road work before a city employee was killed by a truck.
    — Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 22 July 2026
  • As companies lack clear personal branding policies, Taylor believes employees like her are proactively shaping future corporate guidelines, volunteering to lead this evolving professional frontier.
    — Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of employee
Noun
  • When the elevator opened on Sonya’s floor, a uniformed maid stood waiting at the apartment’s front door.
    — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
  • The person who started that rumor is the present-day, extremely status-conscious Queen Dowager (Our Unwritten Seoul’s Jang Young-nam), who is furious at the idea her husband would make a lowly maid a concubine.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 17 July 2026
Definition of maid
Noun
  • The building appears to be still in the framing stage with workers making adjustments to the concrete pylons as cars zip past.
    — Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
  • From a human trafficking sweep, to a mistrial in the K Street mass shooting case, to a look at a state worker Reddit community, here’s a rundown of the top Sacramento stories on July 21.
    — Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of worker

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retained
retainer
retainers
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Cite this Entry

“Retainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retainer. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on retainer

Nglish: Translation of retainer for Spanish Speakers

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