retained: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal/Neutral
Quick answer
What does “retained” mean?
Past tense and past participle of 'retain': To keep or continue to have something, especially when it might otherwise be lost or given up.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Past tense and past participle of 'retain': To keep or continue to have something, especially when it might otherwise be lost or given up.
1. To keep something in one's possession, memory, or service. 2. To continue to hold or contain something. 3. To secure the services of someone, typically a professional, with a preliminary payment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. The legal/business sense of hiring a professional (e.g., 'retained counsel') is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
In both, it can imply value, control, or stability. 'Retained earnings' is a standard business term.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in formal, legal, business, and academic contexts than in casual speech in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “retained” in a Sentence
SUBJ + retained + OBJ (She retained her composure.)OBJ + be retained + by/for + AGENT/REASON (The seat was retained for the guest.)SUBJ + retained + OBJ + as + ROLE (The club retained him as captain.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “retained” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The company retained the copyright on the original design.
- He retained his seat in Parliament despite the scandal.
- We have retained the original fireplace to keep the period charm.
American English
- The team retained him as head coach for another season.
- She retained a lawyer to handle the contract.
- The dam retained the floodwaters, preventing major damage.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to profits kept within the company for reinvestment rather than paid out as dividends.
Academic
Describes knowledge, skills, or information preserved in memory or recorded data over time.
Everyday
Used for keeping tickets, receipts, or physical objects, or for remembering facts.
Technical
In engineering/medicine, describes an object or substance kept in place or within a system (e.g., 'retained water', 'retained surgical instrument').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “retained”
- *She retained to work there. (Incorrect valency) -> She retained her job there.
- *The data was retained in the system since 2020. (Use 'has been retained' for an ongoing state from past to present).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral but leans towards formal contexts (legal, business, academic). In everyday speech, 'kept' is more common.
'Retain' often implies keeping something despite a potential force of loss or change. It's also the preferred term in formal, legal, and business contexts (retain rights, retain counsel). 'Keep' is more general.
Rarely, as it describes a state more than an action. 'We are retaining our staff' is possible but less common than 'We have retained our staff' or 'We retain our staff'.
The direct noun is 'retention'. 'Retained' itself can function as a participial adjective (e.g., retained earnings).
Past tense and past participle of 'retain': To keep or continue to have something, especially when it might otherwise be lost or given up.
Retained: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈteɪnd/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈteɪnd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms specific to 'retained'. Often used in set phrases like 'retained earnings' or 'rights reserved and retained'.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a RETAINER: a device that RETAINS your teeth in position after braces. 'Retained' is what it has done to them.
Conceptual Metaphor
POSSESSION IS HOLDING (retaining control, retaining ownership). MEMORY IS A STORAGE CONTAINER (facts are retained in the mind).
Practice
Quiz
In a corporate finance context, 'retained earnings' refer to: