retain

retain is a 6-letter English word with 9 senses as transitive verb, intransitive verb, and verb in the JumbleFix dictionary. One common meaning is: To continue to hold; to keep in possession; not to lose, part with, or dismiss; to retrain from departure, escape, or the like. Face value is 6 in Scrabble and 7 in Words With Friends. Use the entries below when you need a playable sense, a nearby word, or another arrangement of the same letters.

6 letters · Scrabble 6 · Words With Friends 7 · 9 senses

Definitions

1. transitive verb. To continue to hold; to keep in possession; not to lose, part with, or dismiss; to retrain from departure, escape, or the like.
2. transitive verb. To keep in pay; to employ by a preliminary fee paid; to hire; to engage; as, to retain a counselor.
3. transitive verb. To restrain; to prevent.
4. intransitive verb. To belong; to pertain.
5. intransitive verb. To keep; to continue; to remain.
6. verb. keep in one's mind

   "I cannot retain so much information"

7. verb. secure and keep for possible future use or application

   "The landlord retained the security deposit"

   "I reserve the right to disagree"

   Synonyms: hold

8. verb. 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"

   Synonyms: continue, keep

9. verb. hold back within

   "This soil retains water"

   "I retain this drug for a long time"

Synonyms

hold, continue, keep

Anagrams

Other playable words that use exactly the letters in retain:

anteri, entria, nerita, ratine, retina, tanier

Common word forms

retains, retainal, retained, retainer, retaining, retainable, retainment

Words from these letters

If you are holding these tiles, the unscrambler for RETAIN lists every valid word you can make from the same letters, including shorter plays.