retention

noun

Definition of retentionnext
as in maintenance
the act of keeping something or someone The company's rate of employee retention is 80 percent.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 retention Ongoing manager support and regular HR engagement help improve retention, engagement and career mobility. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 But no organization should depend on one exceptional leader to sustain engagement or retention. — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026 Revenue has grown more than 5x since that Series B, and net dollar retention has topped 150%, Palafox told me. — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for retention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retention
  1. maintenance
  2. retaining
  3. ownership
  4. support
  5. control
Noun
  • When a tool only automates a fraction of a task, but requires a $500,000 integration and continuous infrastructure maintenance, the ROI vanishes.
    — Sridhar Yerramreddy, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Native plants require less water and maintenance and provide food and shelter for bees, birds, butterflies and other wildlife, connecting yards to their surrounding ecosystems.
    — Daniel Kramer, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of maintenance
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
Definition of retaining
Noun
  • Professionals increasingly want autonomy, flexibility, and ownership at work.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Neighbors must feel a sense of ownership over and connection with the space, especially for smaller parks without off-street parking.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of ownership
Noun
  • Furthermore, based on Warsh’s recent public comments, the task forces’ eventual findings could potentially provide support for an even more dovish agenda.
    — David Zhang, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Now in the back half of summer break, the couple are calling for additional support to keep their program funded until the beginning of the school year.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of support
Noun
  • Ceuta’s residents recalled a similar but smaller migration crisis in 2021, when the Moroccan government dropped its border controls and let several thousand people from Morocco and sub-Saharan countries into Ceuta over two days.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The competitive edge is shifting from raw model intelligence to efficient operations, specialized data, and infrastructure control.
    — Gerui Wang, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of control

Browse Nearby Words

reteaching
retention
retentive
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Retention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retention. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on retention

Nglish: Translation of retention for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about retention

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All