1
as in keeps
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in owns
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in employs
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of retains
Musk retains the power to elect and remove the directors his share class appoints.
—
Mary Johnstone-Louis, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
American military strikes in June 2025 reduced several Iranian nuclear facilities to rubble, but Iran still retains roughly 400 kilograms of 60%-enriched uranium.
—Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 19 June 2026
The Carroll Gardens home retains many of its original bones, from high ceilings to tall sash windows to period moldings, while layering in vibrant floral and animal-print patterns, textured finishes, and contemporary fixtures.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 18 June 2026
The Star-Telegram retains independence in all coverage decisions.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026
SiriusXM Media, the company’s advertising division, retains exclusive ad sales rights to the video and audio editions of the podcast.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 June 2026
Starring Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton, the story retains the shock and awe, exciting performances and mind-boggling twists of Season 1 while remaining fresh and exciting.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Though the device retains its current look, Apple also is working to improve the battery life, according to the people.
—Mark Gurman, Fortune, 17 June 2026
The new executive order retains the voluntary nature of AI developers reporting potential safety risks.
—Anjana Susarla, The Conversation, 12 June 2026
Mary Johnstone-Louis, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
American military strikes in June 2025 reduced several Iranian nuclear facilities to rubble, but Iran still retains roughly 400 kilograms of 60%-enriched uranium.
—Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 19 June 2026
The Carroll Gardens home retains many of its original bones, from high ceilings to tall sash windows to period moldings, while layering in vibrant floral and animal-print patterns, textured finishes, and contemporary fixtures.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 18 June 2026
The Star-Telegram retains independence in all coverage decisions.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026
SiriusXM Media, the company’s advertising division, retains exclusive ad sales rights to the video and audio editions of the podcast.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 June 2026
Starring Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton, the story retains the shock and awe, exciting performances and mind-boggling twists of Season 1 while remaining fresh and exciting.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Though the device retains its current look, Apple also is working to improve the battery life, according to the people.
—Mark Gurman, Fortune, 17 June 2026
The new executive order retains the voluntary nature of AI developers reporting potential safety risks.
—Anjana Susarla, The Conversation, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retains
Verb
-
Pace’s pass-rush potential keeps him in the fold, but Flores prefers not to play him on passing downs.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
The microbe lives under the eyelid and keeps producing the anti-inflammatory protein over time.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Gillette Stadium, which Kraft financed and owns, was awarded seven World Cup matches.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
The British-Australian mining giant owns 66% of the mine, with the Mongolian government holding the other 34%.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Matcha House now employs about 10 part-time workers, and Yeung no longer needs to be behind the counter every day.—
Mike Winters,
CNBC,
19 June 2026
-
The company now employs more than 1,600 staff members and works with an additional network of freelance creators and production partners.—
Lin Ying-Hsuan,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
An individual holds a handful of hail pellets in Waite Park, Minnesota, after storms rolled through on June 19, 2026.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
-
The Entertainment Business Center in Tokyo manages more than 100 brand-IP collaborations annually and holds investment positions in more than 60 anime titles.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Conley also has the most campaign cash, with $940,000 on hand.—
Chris McKenna,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
-
Walking into a recording studio, Swift was seen clutching a cognac shoulder bag, and this leather version from Quince comes in the same color and has a similar silhouette.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
Simone hires Zoe as her assistant, in what appears to be a dream job.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
-
When her father hires a young bodyguard to protect her, the disparate personalities can’t help but find themselves, well, drawn to each other.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The dance goes on for most of the movie, with Naim — who possesses all the naïveté of a teenage boy in love — continuing to hope the person in front of him is the real Ryan.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
19 June 2026
-
While Golday possesses the build at 6-foot-4 and 239 pounds to be a productive off-the-ball linebacker, he was targeted in the draft as a prospect with potential to also play on the edge as a pass rusher.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Rosie Randisi Presiding over one end of the resort’s iconic, 140-foot freshwater pool, the spa enjoys pride of place within the exuberant greenery of the 32-acre estate in the island’s pastoral north, far removed from Ibiza’s nightlife reputation.—
Alexandra Kirkman,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has become associated with the wand, and Vasil enjoys giving the Japanese media something to write about, especially with Murakami sidelined.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retains. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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