Antonyms for retain
rɪˈteɪnre·tain

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. retainverb

   Synonyms:
   keep

2. retainverb

   To keep in possession or use.

   Synonyms:
   keep

3. retainverb

   To keep in one's pay or service.

   Synonyms:
   keep

4. retainverb

   To employ by paying a retainer.

   Synonyms:
   keep

5. retainverb

   To hold secure.

   Synonyms:
   keep

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. 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, withhold

   Preposition:
   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 AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 2 votes

1. retain

   Antonyms:
   abandon, forfeit, surrender

   Synonyms:
   keep, hold, restrain

Matched Categories

1. • Hold
   • Prolong
   • Remember

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. 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, keep

2. retain, 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 fresh

3. retain, 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, bear

4. retainverb

   keep in one's mind

   "I cannot retain so much information"

   Synonyms:
   keep on, continue, keep back, hold back, hold, keep

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. retainverb

   Synonyms:
   keep, hold, reserve

How to use retain in a sentence?

1. Tyrone Dennis:

   They got to do better with pay... incentives to retain officers, it would be foolish for me to stay for $ 48,000. When I have a wife and three kids to feed for $ 48,000. I can almost qualify for public assistance. That's not cool.

2. Elaine Ostrander:

   Because they are isolated, they retain whatever genetics was in their ancestor and great ancestors, the Patagonian sheepdog comes the closest to anything anyone has ever seen and that's what makes them so fascinating.

3. Alongkorn Ponlaboot:

   Most of them want to retain their right to run as members of parliament in the next election.

4. Chief Financial Officer Felipe Dutra:

   The past two weeks confirm we remain disciplined, we retain the potential IPO as an option and we will continue to monitor the markets ... but there is no assurance that an IPO will ever materialize.

5. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi:

   I can retain neither respect nor affection for a government which has been moving from wrong to wrong in order to defend its immorality.

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