RETAINING Synonyms: 124 Similar and Opposite Words

retaining 1 of 2

noun

as in retention

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retaining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of retain

as in keeping

to continue to have in one's possession or power I plan to retain the family heirlooms until my own children are mature enough to appreciate them, and then I will lovingly pass them on

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as in owning

to keep, control, or experience as one's own that author retains the right to veto any changes in his books suggested by his publisher's notoriously intrusive editor

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as in employing

to provide with a paying job her neighbor retained her as a nanny for the summer, thus giving her something to do until school started again

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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 retaining

Noun

Older people have a harder time producing, retaining, and circulating body heat. — Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2026 The fabric is the smooth, soft feel that Lululemon is famous for, while still being breathable, sweat-wicking, and shape-retaining. — Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Apr. 2026 But we’re invited to see him as, despite these foibles, amusing and retaining, and his cynicism about everything and his lack of moral scruple is—actually, we’re invited to see this as a kind of higher wisdom. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 Lynch retaining seems likely, but Bella’s presence brings nostalgia and star power for the international audience. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025

Verb

Their menu is seasonal and slightly whimsical while retaining a clear vision, a good representation of the many personalities that make up the Kimball House team. — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026 Lay down the cardboard and cover it with a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch to block sunlight from reaching weed seeds while retaining soil moisture and improving soil health as the mulch and cardboard break down. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026 These ingredients have skin-softening, hydrating, moisture-retaining, and skin texture-improving properties. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 3 July 2026 Children of immigrants replaced immigrants, blending into American society while retaining their own cultural traditions. — Albert Sun, New York Times, 2 July 2026 Key work incentives like the Trial Work Period allow beneficiaries to earn income while retaining full SSDI, followed by an Extended Period of Eligibility. — Diane Winiarski, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Thousands of jobs planned The expansion project is expected to create roughly 1,000 construction jobs and 300 permanent operating positions in Ohio while retaining 150 existing jobs at the Piketon facility. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026 The atmosphere is retaining more heat at night, DaSilva says. — Scott Neuman, NPR, 2 July 2026 The Nets still project with spending power after retaining Sharpe and Minott. — C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for retaining

Noun

Women comprise 35% of US STEM employees, yet retention, not attraction, is the primary challenge, with women leaving at higher rates and companies losing critical knowledge.

— Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
As teams become leaner, retention is more important than ever.

— Eric Francia, Fortune, 7 July 2026

Definition of retention

Verb

Regents overruled a faculty task force, which had found the tests to be predictive of college success across demographics and recommended keeping them.

— Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
The airport recently extended its current lease agreement an extra year, keeping the status quo in place through at least June 30, 2027, while the city hammers out a long-term deal.

— Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026

Definition of keeping

Verb

Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez, 33, was charged with owning an unregistered aircraft that was operated by another person.

— Kelly O'Donnell, NBC news, 5 July 2026
After that, owning any edition puts you on the same live game, and my earlier release-and-early-access guide breaks down every window in one place.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of owning

Verb

The case garnered national interest because Oregon's new law targets the loopholes large staffing firms have been employing to circumvent state corporate medicine laws.

— Alex Olgin, NPR, 3 July 2026
The metaphor of a ‘wall of separation’ At the same time, religious reformers were employing concepts of walls, hedges or other barriers to ensure that the secular and religious realms remained apart.

— Steven K. Green, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

Definition of employing

Noun

This concentration of capital in AI leaves smaller, middle-of-the-road venture funds without large AI holdings struggling to return capital to their investors.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
The Museum’s collection includes significant holdings of contemporary global art and important examples of historical art, particularly 18th- and 19th-century American art and works on paper.

— Leslie Anderson, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2026

Definition of holding

Verb

Junie Brown is using her first solo exhibition to place Black trans joy inside a space dedicated to preserving Black history.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026
Those funds should be dedicated to preserving Medi-Cal, strengthening public hospitals and community clinics, reducing health care costs over the long term and protecting Californians from the devastating consequences of federal cost shifts.

— Dave Cortese, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

Definition of preserving

Verb

Data center developments have stoked anger across the state in recent years as residents worry about resource consumption as well as noise and others issues related to having large-scale tech facilities near residential areas.

— Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 July 2026
The goal is to make your lineup unique, so try (in GPP) to stay away from having all the players that the field values (this is the strategy for cash).

— Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of having

Verb

The invasion-of-privacy claim was also dismissed because state law doesn’t recognize claims based on the disclosure of private facts, and the employees had willingly provided their information to Bojangles as part of the hiring process.

— Chase Jordan July 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
Just like hiring a new employee, AI requires strict instructions and examples of good and bad work.

— Tyler Dykstra, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of hiring

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

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Synonyms of retaining

noun

verb

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