How to Use retain in a Sentence

retain

verb
  • The team failed to retain him, and he became a free agent.
  • A landlord may retain part of your deposit if you break the lease.
  • You will retain your rights as a citizen.
  • They have decided to retain a firm to conduct a survey.
  • You may need to retain an attorney.
  • The company's goal is to attract and retain good employees.
  • They insisted on retaining old customs.
  • The TV show has retained its popularity for many years.
  • Heavy soil will retain more moisture than airy sandy or loamy soils.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Drivers still retain the right to refuse.
    — Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 17 June 2026
  • So, the Panthers did try to retain him.
    — Mike Kaye updated March 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Your parents will retain more access to you than any one of you thinks.
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 12 July 2023
  • Click here to see more photos of the sports cars that best retain value.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Add mulch around plants and compost to the soil to help retain moisture.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
  • Until then, the writer retains and can leave with all rights.
    — Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2025
  • The adult specimen is the first hadrosaurid to retain its full tail spike row.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Mulch around the plant to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
    — Lauren Wellbank, Martha Stewart, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Mulch retains soil moisture and also helps curb pesky weed growth.
    — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
  • This feedback loop—observe, adapt, retain—is not new.
    — Avital Pardo, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Don't assume your airline will retain these records.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
  • When stored in oil, fresh herbs retain their flavor—and don’t get wilted, brown, or spoil.
    — Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2024
  • If voters do not retain them next month, the court would fall to an even 2-2 split.
    — Emily Chang, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Child victims of the past must retain the same rights as victims in the future.
    — Kyle Dillon Hertz, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
  • The core is designed to retain its form while supporting your head and neck.
    — Shea Simmons, People.com, 13 Oct. 2024
  • Add a couple of layers of mulch to the top of the soil to help retain moisture.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
  • When stored in oil, fresh herbs retain their flavor—and don’t get wilted, brown, or spoil.
    — Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Planters help retain water and create a structure in which roots can grow.
    — Kaitlin Madden, Good Housekeeping, 29 June 2022
  • Williams will likely face pressure in the coming years to retain the record.
    — Thomas Smith, Billboard, 23 Jan. 2026
  • There were fears that the salary cap would prevent teams from retaining top players.
    — Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Its Flock data is retained for 30 days.
    — John Aguilar, Denver Post, 10 Feb. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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