What are some opposite words for retain?
Antonyms for retain
rɪˈteɪnre·tain
This page is about all possible antonyms and opposite words for the term retain.
Wiktionary
English Synonyms and Antonyms
retain
Keep, signifying generally to have and retain in possession, is the terse, strong Saxon term for many acts which are more exactly discriminated by other words. We keep, observe, or celebrate a festival; we keep or hold a prisoner in custody; we keep or preserve silence, keep the peace, preserve order — preserve being the more formal word; we keep or maintain a horse, a servant, etc.; a man supports his family; we keep or obey a commandment; keep or fulfil a promise. In the expressions to keep a secret, keep one's own counsel, keep faith, or keep the faith, such words as preserve or maintain could not be substituted without loss. A person keeps a shop or store, conducts or carries on a business; he keeps or carries a certain line of goods; we may keep or restrain one from folly, crime, or violence; we keep from or refrain from evil, ourselves. Keep in the sense of guard or defend implies that the defense is effectual. Compare CELEBRATE; RESTRAIN.
Synonyms:
carry, carry on, celebrate, conduct, defend, detain, fulfil, guard, hold, keep, maintain, obey, observe, preserve, protect, refrain, restrain, support, sustain, withholdPreposition:
Keep in hand, in mind, in or within the house; from evil; out of mischief; keep to the subject; keep for a person, an occasion, etc.
Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms
Princeton's WordNet
retainverb
hold back within
"This soil retains water"; "I retain this drug for a long time"; "the dam retains the water"
Synonyms:
keep on, continue, keep back, hold back, hold, keepretain, continue, keep, keep onverb
allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature
"We cannot continue several servants any longer"; "She retains a lawyer"; "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"; "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"; "We kept the work going as long as we could"; "She retained her composure"; "this garment retains its shape even after many washings"
Synonyms:
go along, keep on, celebrate, remain, stay on, go on, stay, carry on, keep, cover, hold back, save, hold, hold on, persist in, go forward, prevent, keep open, uphold, extend, keep back, proceed, maintain, hold open, restrain, observe, bear on, preserve, sustain, continue, stay freshretain, hold, keep back, hold backverb
secure and keep for possible future use or application
"The landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the right to disagree"
Synonyms:
accommodate, wait, book, withhold, moderate, view as, support, apply, hold back, harbour, defend, take hold, bind, deem, hold up, continue, hold off, take, have, concord, check, make, admit, go for, take for, throw, defy, control, turn back, harbor, keep, obligate, carry, give, adjudge, entertain, forbear, nurse, oblige, curb, hold, conceal, confine, have got, arrest, restrain, withstand, agree, hold in, halt, contain, keep on, concur, maintain, guard, keep back, sustain, prevail, reserve, obtain, declare, stop, bearretainverb
keep in one's mind
"I cannot retain so much information"
Synonyms:
keep on, continue, keep back, hold back, hold, keep
How to use retain in a sentence?
Biden is back in the basement in Delaware while his Democratic Party struggles to retain control of the House and Senate, this is fitting, given that Biden’s disastrous policies and habit of ignoring the will of the people as expressed in polls has contributed to his own disapproval rating and the existential threat to a Democratic majority.
Jobs heavily concentrated by those populations may see pay go up disproportionately. It's [ often ] hard to attract and retain people in those groups.
Thank you, I am flattered you are trying to retain me, but this other offer has everything that I am looking for in terms of short - and long-term opportunities.
How states implement the unwinding of the continuous enrollment requirement will make a really big difference in how many people are able to retain coverage.
[J]ust like other nonprofits and health care providers, this pandemic has had a significant impact on Planned Parenthood health centers ability to provide care, paycheck Protection Program loans have ensured health centers can retain staff and continue to provide patients with essential, time-sensitive sexual and reproductive health care during this crisis. This is a clear political attack on Planned Parenthood health centers and access to reproductive health care.
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"retain." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/antonyms/retain>.
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