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

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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 PriorityEvac is contracted with GlobalX to keep a fleet of Airbus 320s on retainer. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 21 July 2026 To conceal the scheme and hide the bribes, prosecutors say, Zhu entered into a sham retainer agreement with Carone’s younger brother, Anthony Carone, 54, who is alleged to have laundered the payments through his law firm. — Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 2 July 2026 But, shoppers without a glam team on retainer are impressed, too. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 25 June 2026 Gold acts more as a retainer of wealth, not a vehicle for serious growth or profits. — Aly J Yale, CBS News, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for retainer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retainer
  1. servant
  2. employee
  3. maid
  4. worker
Noun
  • When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The 38-year-old heir to a developer dynasty has brought the same raw attitude to his time as a government servant.
    — Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of servant
Noun
  • In Brazil, Statista gathered 900,000 evaluations from employees across a wide range of sectors.
    — Charlotte Hu, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • This includes owners, coaches, players, other team employees, game officials, and employees of the league office, NFL Films, NFL Network or any other NFL business.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of employee
Noun
  • Sullivan was an Irish immigrant who had been working as a maid for the Bordens for more than two years.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) Communications via AP Hines stabbed Jenkins to death while the 54-year-old was working as a motel maid in Kingston Springs.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of maid
Noun
  • During the early days of the pandemic, Prem and his team dispatched medical staff to Singapore’s checkpoints for virus screening, as well as to foreign worker dormitories to care for workers who fell ill.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • At the same time, many of these tech companies, like Microsoft and IBM, have been providing accessible professional certificate programs to workers across the globe in hopes of closing the skills gap.
    — Charlotte Hu, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of worker

Browse Nearby Words

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 26 Aug. 2026.

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