1
as in servants
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 employees
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 retainers
Most of the contracts are retainers — with the lobbying firms receiving an equal payment each quarter.
—
Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Domestically, Roosevelt’s progressive reforms—breaking up dozens of monopolies, modifying railroad rates, setting aside public lands for conservation—cut against the long run of industrial oligarchy enjoyed by assorted oil, timber, and coal kings in collusion with their congressional retainers.
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
How To Improve Your Soil's Moisture Retention A short-term solution for small areas or containers with hydrophobic soil is a commercial wetting agent, often called water retainers or penetrants.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
Old Hamlet’s retainers acquired crumbling public housing estates turning out occupants enabling them to build showy apartments for cash buyers.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Or, Wu suggested, instead of opting for clear plastic aligners, a person could get metal braces or retainers.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2025
Avoiding flat retainers and aligning SOWs to key outcomes will be highly respected by an investor who has operational expertise.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Domestically, Roosevelt’s progressive reforms—breaking up dozens of monopolies, modifying railroad rates, setting aside public lands for conservation—cut against the long run of industrial oligarchy enjoyed by assorted oil, timber, and coal kings in collusion with their congressional retainers.
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
How To Improve Your Soil's Moisture Retention A short-term solution for small areas or containers with hydrophobic soil is a commercial wetting agent, often called water retainers or penetrants.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
Old Hamlet’s retainers acquired crumbling public housing estates turning out occupants enabling them to build showy apartments for cash buyers.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Or, Wu suggested, instead of opting for clear plastic aligners, a person could get metal braces or retainers.
—Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2025
Avoiding flat retainers and aligning SOWs to key outcomes will be highly respected by an investor who has operational expertise.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retainers
Noun
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Among these servants are ones who pass laws to make my life a bit safer or just.—
Chris John Amorosino,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Amongst the servants, meanwhile, a hierarchy based on standing and rank also dictated living conditions like proximity to the family and who got to eat dinner first.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The release said many services for which Medicaid provided funds were not actually provided by Hofius or any other employees at the North Star center.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, Austin’s factory had about 22,000 employees as of last year.—
Andrea Guzmán,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Crews began treating highways with brine after midnight Saturday, with 1,800 workers on 12-hour shifts, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
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That act – passed in the wake of a wave of terror by government workers affiliated with racist groups like the Ku Klux Klan – does not apply to federal employees and could not be used in a case against Ross.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retainers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retainers. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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