RETAINING Synonyms: 124 Similar and Opposite Words

retaining 1 of 2

noun

as in retention

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retaining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of retain

as in keeping

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in owning

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in employing

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 retaining

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 But we’re invited to see him as, despite these foibles, amusing and retaining, and his cynicism about everything and his lack of moral scruple is—actually, we’re invited to see this as a kind of higher wisdom. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026 Lynch retaining seems likely, but Bella’s presence brings nostalgia and star power for the international audience. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025

Verb

More concerning memory problems may involve difficulty retaining new information in the first place, like repeatedly asking a question without remembering the answer. — Danielle Zickl, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026 Goldman found Koreans in their sixties save more than any other age group, retaining 37% of their income. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 Democrats need to flip four Senate seats, while retaining all of their seats on the ballot, to regain control of the upper chamber. — Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 These were followed by black- and silver-dial models retaining the dual-color bezel. — Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2026 This trend is fueled by gold's practical appeal as an investment, retaining market value unlike diamonds, especially with record-high prices. — Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Ownership decisions also can lead to signing or retaining star players as teams hope to contend for championships. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Projects such as new construction, additions, alteration or repairs, grading, retaining and fence walls, sign permits, swimming pools, change of use and use of land permits would qualify for fast-tracking. — City News Service, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026 Even so, historically star players’ greatest impact has been on the player-acquisition front, not on retaining players who aren’t immediate flight risks. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for retaining

Noun

The decline here is not exactly shocking since Netflix has been experiencing audience retention issues with most series, even some of its most popular.

— Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
The appeals court is also dealing with staff retention and recruitment problems.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of retention

Verb

The show is leaning into its strengths, dialing up the madcap comedy and overlapping dialogue while keeping the story lines rooted in recognizable rites of passage for young people.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
The approach could provide a more repeatable way to adapt navigation systems across different robots and environments, while keeping human oversight for important development and safety decisions.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of keeping

Verb

In a matter of years, Kapoor went from owning a multimillion-dollar home in Cocoplum and captaining a 68-foot yacht to living in federal custody.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Of course, the ultimate risk for owning these stocks is familiar to all investors, namely the vagaries of the market itself.

— Norah Rami, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of owning

Verb

Through the new focus on South Miami-Dade, Beasley also wants employers to understand the benefits of employing people from the area.

— Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
The idea of employing microbes to transform waste carbon into something useful is far from novel.

— Mike McRae August 28, New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of employing

Noun

Family offices boosted their stock holdings in the second quarter and trimmed their exposure to real estate and private market investments, according to the latest CNBC Family Office Portfolio Tracker.

— Robert Frank, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
His other sports holdings include the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, Andretti Global in IndyCar, Spire Motorsports in NASCAR and the PWHL.

— Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of holding

Verb

In another study published this year, researchers used a DMPU/ethylene glycol-potassium hydroxide system to completely convert PET in polyester/cotton blends at 70 degrees Celsius in 30 minutes, recovering TPA while preserving the cotton component.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Roku offers a considerably larger distribution platform while also preserving the free-access strategy the league pursued with Victory+.

— Asli Pelit, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of preserving

Verb

Sporting is planning to stay with its MLS model of having two DPs and four U22 roster spots that only charge a certain number against the salary cap.

— PJ Green August 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
The number of Americans who report having six or more close friends has plunged by 50% this century, and the number of people reporting no close friends has skyrocketed by 400% over that same time period.

— Ken Stern, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of having

Verb

In May, the trade publication National Restaurant News reported that McDonald’s was embarking on a hiring binge this summer with a goal of 375,000 new workers nationwide.

— David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
The chip company made a deal with the AI coding startup, making a $1 billion investment and also a $6 billion technology licensing agreement, while hiring more than 100 of Poolside’s employees.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of hiring

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“Retaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retaining. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of retaining

noun

verb

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