Synonyms of retaining

retaining 1 of 2

noun

as in retention

Related Words

• retention
• holding
• keeping
• possession
• hands
• control
• support
• custody
• maintenance
• enjoyment
• conservation
• safekeeping
• ownership
• care
• proprietorship
• claiming
• power
• mastery
• procurement
• repossession
• dominion
• confiscation
• authority
• command
• commandeering
• collaring

Dissimilar Words

• relinquishment
• surrendering
• dispossession
• transferal
• nonpossession

retaining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of retain

1

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• keeping
• holding
• preserving
• possessing
• saving
• having
• reserving
• withholding
• protecting
• conserving
• enjoying
• guarding
• owning
• holding on to
• managing
• controlling
• hanging on to
• boasting
• directing
• commanding
• ruling
• harboring
• detaining
• hugging
• clinging (to)
• cherishing
• bearing
• treasuring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• yielding
• relinquishing
• releasing
• surrendering
• abandoning
• giving
• dropping
• contributing
• giving up
• dumping
• donating
• discarding
• losing
• ceding
• declining
• rejecting
• handing over
• handing out
• repudiating
• spurning

2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• owning
• having
• possessing
• enjoying
• holding
• keeping
• commanding
• reserving
• withholding
• carrying
• rejoicing in
• bearing
• boasting
• sporting
• showing off

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lacking
• wanting
• abandoning
• relinquishing
• yielding
• renouncing
• dumping
• surrendering
• discarding
• ceding
• requiring
• rejecting
• declining
• handing over
• disclaiming
• needing
• disowning
• repudiating
• spurning

3

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• employing
• hiring
• recruiting
• engaging
• placing
• paying
• enlisting
• assuming
• signing (up or on)
• feeing
• taking on
• laying on
• promoting
• jobbing
• upgrading
• partnering
• contracting
• rehiring
• reengaging
• subcontracting
• reemploying
• advancing
• keeping (on)
• scouting
• apprenticing
• headhunting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dismissing
• discharging
• firing
• sacking
• canning
• axing
• laying off
• locking out
• furloughing

Example Sentences

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

Protecting the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is essential to ensuring America can continue recruiting and retaining the public servants our communities depend on. — Verna L. Williams, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026

For now, sister station KOLA is retaining its air staff; KOLA is one of the most successful stations in the IE. — Richard Wagoner, Daily News, 10 Aug. 2026

Even so, the comparatively young, who are motivated more by the prospect of becoming the next leader than by simply retaining their current privileges, will have the advantage. — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026

Our own school, Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, reflects this broader trend by integrating AI into its programs, while retaining a focus on human judgment. — Murugan Anandarajan, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026

The redraw put Ogles in mostly new territory, retaining just about 20% of his old district. — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2026

There are competing routes through the strait and what’s on the table appears to involve merging them – with Iran retaining a level of control that would be at odds with US wishes. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026

That gives all athletes, regardless of high-profile status, an equal chance of retaining athletic eligibility. — Charles Baggarly august 4, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Aug. 2026

The fiber in kiwis is especially good at absorbing and retaining water, which can help soften stool and make bowel movements easier. — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 4 Aug. 2026