Explanation at your level:
To retain means to keep. If you have a toy, you keep it. You do not give it away. You retain the toy. It is a big word for 'keep'.
When you retain something, you hold it. You might retain information from a book. This means you do not forget the information. It stays in your head.
In business, companies want to retain staff. This means they want their workers to stay. If you retain control, you do not let someone else take over. It is a formal way to say 'keep'.
Retain is often used for things that are hard to keep. For example, a sponge retains water. A student might struggle to retain complex grammar rules. It implies an ongoing effort to maintain a state or possession.
The usage of retain often highlights the prevention of loss. In legal contexts, you retain a lawyer. In physics, materials retain heat. It suggests a high level of stability and permanence, contrasting with 'temporary' states.
Etymologically, retain captures the essence of 'holding back' or 'holding fast.' In literary or academic discourse, it is used to discuss the preservation of heritage, rights, or mental faculties. It conveys a sense of authority and endurance that 'keep' lacks.
Wort in 30 Sekunden
- Retain means to keep or hold.
- It is more formal than 'keep'.
- Commonly used in business and science.
- The noun form is 'retention'.
Think of retain as the opposite of 'lose' or 'release.' When you retain something, you are making a conscious choice to hold onto it.
This word is very versatile. You can retain information in your brain, like facts for a test, or retain moisture in soil to help plants grow. In a business context, a company might try to retain its best employees so they don't leave for other jobs.
It is a slightly formal word. You wouldn't usually say 'I retained my keys' to a friend; you would say 'I kept my keys.' However, in professional writing or scientific contexts, it is the perfect choice.
The word retain comes from the Latin word retinere. This is a combination of re- (meaning 'back') and tenere (meaning 'to hold').
It traveled through Old French as retenir before entering English in the 14th century. Historically, it was often used in legal contexts, such as retaining a lawyer to represent you. The idea of 'holding back' or 'keeping' has remained consistent for over 600 years.
It shares a root with many other English words like contain, detain, and tenacious. All these words carry the DNA of 'holding' something firmly.
You will often see retain used with abstract concepts like information, control, or power. It sounds more professional than 'keep.'
Common collocations include retain control, retain the right, and retain information. If you are writing a report or a formal letter, it is a great way to sound precise and sophisticated.
Be careful not to use it for simple, physical objects in casual conversation. While you can technically 'retain your wallet,' it sounds much more natural to say 'keep your wallet.'
While retain itself is a formal verb, it appears in many set phrases. Retain the services of means to hire a professional. Retain one's composure means to stay calm under pressure.
Other expressions include retain a memory (to not forget), retain a shape (to not get distorted), and retain a lead (to stay in front during a competition).
These phrases help you express complex ideas about stability and endurance in a very clear, professional way.
Retain is a transitive verb, meaning it needs an object. You must retain something. The IPA pronunciation is /rɪˈteɪn/ in both British and American English.
The stress is on the second syllable. It rhymes with explain, sustain, attain, remain, and contain. It does not have a plural form because it is a verb, but the noun form is retention.
Common patterns include retain [something] for [purpose] or retain [something] as [status].
Fun Fact
It comes from the same root as 'tenant', someone who holds land.
Pronunciation Guide
Clear 're' sound followed by long 'a'
Similar to UK, slightly flatter 'a'
Common Errors
- Misplacing stress on first syllable
- Pronouncing 'ai' as short 'e'
- Adding an extra syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Common in formal texts
Good for academic writing
Sounds formal in speech
Easy to hear
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Fortgeschritten
Grammar to Know
Transitive Verbs
He retained the book.
Formal Register
Use retain instead of keep.
Verb Stress
re-TAIN
Examples by Level
I will retain my book.
I will keep my book.
Future tense
The sponge retains water.
He wants to retain his job.
She retains her smile.
Can you retain this info?
The team retains the lead.
They retain the old rules.
I retain my original plan.
We retain our rights.
The company tries to retain talent.
She struggled to retain the facts.
The wall retains the heat.
He retained his composure.
They retained their independence.
The soil retains moisture well.
We must retain our focus.
The lawyer was retained.
The building retains its original charm.
He retained his title as champion.
The government retained control.
She retained a clear memory of the event.
The fabric retains its color after washing.
They retained the services of a consultant.
He retained a sense of humor.
The law retains its validity.
The candidate retained a significant lead.
The system retains data for a year.
She retained her position despite the scandal.
The culture retains many ancient traditions.
He retained his skepticism.
The paint retains its gloss.
The organization retained its core values.
They retained the right to appeal.
The monarch retained absolute power.
The text retains the flavor of the original.
The structure retains its structural integrity.
She retained a youthful outlook.
The region retains a distinct dialect.
He retained his grip on the situation.
The memory was retained for decades.
The agreement retains its legal force.
Häufige Kollokationen
Idioms & Expressions
"retain one's cool"
stay calm
He retained his cool during the argument.
casual"retain a firm grip"
keep control
She retains a firm grip on the budget.
neutral"retain the upper hand"
keep the advantage
They retained the upper hand in negotiations.
neutral"retain the status quo"
keep things as they are
The board voted to retain the status quo.
formal"retain a presence"
stay visible
The brand retains a presence in the market.
neutral"retain the memory of"
remember clearly
I retain the memory of that day.
literaryEasily Confused
similar sound
detain is for police
The police detained him.
rhyme
maintain is to keep in condition
Maintain your car.
rhyme
sustain is to support
Sustain life.
rhyme
attain is to reach
Attain your goals.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + retain + Object
He retained his power.
Subject + retain + Object + for + Purpose
They retained the land for farming.
Subject + retain + Object + as + Status
She retained her role as leader.
Subject + struggle + to + retain
He struggled to retain focus.
Subject + manage + to + retain
They managed to retain the lead.
Wortfamilie
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Verwandt
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Häufige Fehler
Retain sounds too formal for keys or pens.
Detain is for police; retain is for keeping.
Retain is a verb.
Retain already implies 'back'.
Retain is weird for general people.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a vault that retains gold.
Professionalism
Use it in emails to sound smart.
Legal Context
Think of lawyers.
Verb Pattern
Always follows with an object.
Stress
Stress the second syllable.
Don't use for keys
Use 'keep' instead.
Latin Roots
Tenere means hold.
Flashcards
Use 'retain' on one side, 'keep' on other.
Scientific
Used for water/heat.
No plural
It's a verb.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
RE-TAIN: REally TAINing (holding) onto it.
Visual Association
A squirrel holding onto a nut.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Try to retain 5 new words today.
Wortherkunft
Latin
Original meaning: To hold back
Kultureller Kontext
None.
Common in corporate and legal speak.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at work
- retain staff
- retain control
- retain clients
school
- retain information
- retain knowledge
- retain focus
science
- retain moisture
- retain heat
- retain properties
law
- retain a lawyer
- retain rights
- retain evidence
Conversation Starters
"What is the best way to retain new vocabulary?"
"Do you find it hard to retain information when you are tired?"
"Why do companies struggle to retain talented employees?"
"How can we retain our focus during long meetings?"
"Is it important to retain old traditions?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you had to retain your composure.
Describe a company you know and how they retain staff.
What is one piece of information you have retained for years?
Why is it important to retain your rights?
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenYes, but more formal.
Only if you are hiring them.
Retention.
Yes, for moisture or heat.
ri-TAIN.
Yes, in professional settings.
It's better to use 'keep'.
Yes, to retain information.
Teste dich selbst
I want to ___ my book.
Retain means keep.
Which means to keep?
Retain is a synonym for keep.
Retain is a very casual word.
It is formal.
Word
Bedeutung
Synonym matching.
Subject-Verb-Object.
Ergebnis: /5
Summary
To retain is to hold onto something, whether it is an object, a memory, or control.
- Retain means to keep or hold.
- It is more formal than 'keep'.
- Commonly used in business and science.
- The noun form is 'retention'.
Memory Palace
Imagine a vault that retains gold.
Professionalism
Use it in emails to sound smart.
Legal Context
Think of lawyers.
Verb Pattern
Always follows with an object.
Beispiel
I try to drink plenty of water so my skin can retain its moisture.
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