RETENTIVE Synonyms: 27 Similar and Opposite Words

retentive

adjective

Definition of retentive

as in careful

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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 retentive Asters thrive in cooler, moisture-retentive soil and can tolerate partial shade, while morning glories prefer full sun and well-draining, poorer soils. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026 Cabbage plants also benefit from moisture-retentive clay as long as gardens don’t stay soggy long enough to lead to rot. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2026 The velocity of decisions and the inverse of that, though, is when these decisions are made, there are incredibly sticky and retentive businesses. — Aaron Weitzman, Axios, 9 Sep. 2024 As well as attracting a significant number of new Discovery+ subscribers, sports broadens its appeal throughout the whole household and provides consumers an even greater, more retentive value proposition. — Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2022 Energy firms tend to be slow to acquire as customers, but these energy targets are highly retentive once onboarded as customers. — John Tough, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2021 Jane was an anal retentive young mom whose professional dream was to become a bestselling novelist. — Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2021 Her ministers fear her ferociously retentive memory for the details of their portfolios—including the particulars of complex technical and scientific issues, such as trade, digital technology, and, lately, the pandemic. — Constanze Stelzenmüller, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021

Recent Examples of Synonyms for retentive

Adjective

The Challenges of Caring for a Fireclay Sink However, the same gleaming surface that makes a fireclay sink an anchor of your kitchen design requires a more intentional, careful cleaning routine than some other materials.

— Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 10 Sep. 2026
The premise couldn’t be simpler, though Wollner’s incredible prologue — a careful arrangement of low-event long takes that emphasize how people move through spaces in time — trains our eyes to privilege texture over incident.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of careful

Adjective

Almost 7% of Tarrant County kindergarteners had a conscientious exemption to at least one vaccine in the 2025-26 school year, up from 3% five years ago, according to state data.

— Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026
Fretting about the future is a favorite preoccupation of the conscientious.

— Joe Fassler, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of conscientious

Adjective

As for how her position on Disney and the FCC goes over with her colleagues, Gomez is more circumspect.

— Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
However, when asked about any shenanigans Yungblud and Hill might have gotten into on the road, the singer remains circumspect.

— Katherine Turman, SPIN, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of circumspect

Adjective

His father, Francisco, was also wary, afraid that the town’s militarization would somehow provoke further conflict.

— Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
South Africa has seemingly overcome its electricity crisis, with the country’s power utility, Eskom, reporting a power surplus during the winter peak-demand season, but civil society groups are wary of the surplus power being sold to data centers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of wary

Adjective

The anxieties surrounding data privacy, algorithmic bias and the fundamental shift in how students learn are valid and require serious, thoughtful attention.

— Erin Mote, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Someone who reminds a likely very jaded and fickle crowd of editors, buyers, and industry observers that fashion can still be thoughtful, genuine, and most importantly, fun.

— Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of thoughtful

Adjective

Her heedful eyes meet those of a young Black girl in overalls and braids on the other side of the room.

— Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 9 Aug. 2023
That’s partly because retailers have grown less heedful about developing the necessary pipelines, a problem that’s worsened in recent years as retailers saw profits crushed by a push into low-margin e-commerce.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2023

Definition of heedful

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retention

retentive

retest

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“Retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retentive. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of retentive

adjective

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