retentive

adjective

Definition of retentivenext
as in careful

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 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
  1. careful
  2. conscientious
  3. cautious
  4. circumspect
  5. wary
  6. thoughtful
  7. heedful
Adjective
  • Kurz said that the field team put careful consideration into selecting each site.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Steve Bardens/Getty Images Brighton & Hove Albion must be careful that the chill of winter does not arrive much earlier than normal for them this season in the Conference League.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • What’s more, not all protein powders are equal, so a conscientious approach is warranted.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Even the most conscientious hand washers who use a basin or a full sink still use two to four times as much water as the average dishwasher cycle.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2026
Definition of conscientious
Adjective
  • Officials were urging residents to be cautious as the hurricane approached.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Despite expert consensus ranking him QB2 (31st overall), there's reason to be cautious.
    — Steve Bradshaw, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • The men exude contentious authority in various ways, from the grandee’s circumspect command and Uncle Jeb’s sly omniscience to the mechanic’s viperish resentment and Billy’s acerbic flirtation.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The arrogant, brooding youth is gone almost entirely, and someone far more circumspect and humbled kneels before his older brother.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of circumspect
Adjective
  • Moscow, meanwhile, is widely seen as remaining wary of opening the door for Chinese security engagement in the Arctic, hoping instead that China will continue to buy up energy and broaden its role building out a lucrative NSR.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Some investors are wary that alternative data management system PostgreSQL could steal market share from MongoDB, driving down the stock by more than 40% in the first quarter, Ikeda said.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of wary
Adjective
  • Ask the direct question, write down the agreement, and leave room for a thoughtful answer.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Libra September 23 – October 22 A thoughtful message could reconnect you with the right people.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 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

Browse Nearby Words

retention
retentive
retest
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retentive. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on retentive

Nglish: Translation of retentive for Spanish Speakers

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 divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
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
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All