as in careful
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Recent Examples of retentive
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
Industrial facilities are designed using environmentally conscientious materials including white roof decks, LED lighting and water-retentive landscaping techniques.
—David Welch, Forbes, 12 Apr. 2022
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
They're known for great listening—and they are retentive with a good memory.
—Carrie Goldberg, Harper's BAZAAR, 22 Oct. 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
Aaron Weitzman, Axios, 9 Sep. 2024
Industrial facilities are designed using environmentally conscientious materials including white roof decks, LED lighting and water-retentive landscaping techniques.
—David Welch, Forbes, 12 Apr. 2022
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
They're known for great listening—and they are retentive with a good memory.
—Carrie Goldberg, Harper's BAZAAR, 22 Oct. 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
-
This slice of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, at the far eastern edge of Lake Michigan, is an International Dark Sky Park and continues to take careful steps to preserve and protect the nighttime environment, an absolute necessity for the ideal northern lights viewing experience.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Be careful not to use harsh chemicals like bleach, as this can damage or discolor the countertops.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Cap Rocat also aims to preserve and strengthen the natural and social environment through a conscientious selection of suppliers engaged in sustainable fishing and organic and zero-kilometer products.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
But Charlotte, quiet, honest, conscientious, reveals herself to be a simmering, roiling, wildly imaginative cauldron on the inside, not unlike this book.—
Barbara Ellis,
Denver Post,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Ciara is very cautious and played it slow in opening her heart up to West.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
10 June 2026
-
When an algorithm can produce a defensible answer in seconds, human decisions start to feel riskier by comparison, which can lead leaders to take a more cautious approach and request additional reviews.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
So, verification is the only stage in which the proper protocol is to be circumspect, rather than go straight to the newspapers.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
9 June 2026
-
One of Wood’s rivals in Maine’s competitive 2nd District primary was more circumspect about Platner.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
The doc goes on to note that, along with boorish audiences, record labels were also wary of Culture Club, even though their aesthetic was very much in the early Eighties new wave and pop mold.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2026
-
Google recommends that organizations verify IT support requests and to be wary of any unsolicited calls or emails requesting screen-sharing sessions.—
Gene Marks,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Regardless of one’s position, a decision about downtown’s historic core deserves thoughtful public discussion.—
Sarah M. Boye,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
General Daily Insight for June 14, 2026 Fresh pages wait for thoughtful words tonight.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
In ancient times a heedful list is a ship of the mind.—
Jay Pilgreen,
Kansas City Star,
12 Feb. 2024
-
Enduring decades of bans for its salacious content, D.H. Lawrence's 1928 avant-garde novel gets a fresh adaptation under the heedful eye of Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, who deftly explores the depths of female desire.—
Lia Beck,
EW.com,
12 Jan. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Retentive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retentive. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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