ENGLISH
REFERENCE

retaining

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ɹiˈteɪnɪŋ// UK //ɹɪtˈeɪnɪŋ// re·tain·ing

v. to keep or continue to have something. You use this when you want to say that someone does not lose or give away a specific quality, object, or piece of information.

v. to continue to have something; to keep possession or control of a quality, feature, or physical object. Transitive — requires a direct object.


SIMPLE

The company is focused on retaining its best employees.

CONTEXTUAL

Despite the modern renovations, the old library succeeded in retaining its original historical charm.

COMPLEX

The legal team argued that the defendant was capable of retaining complex instructions, suggesting that the breach of contract was a deliberate choice rather than a misunderstanding.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and always takes a direct object.

Pitfall

The wall is retaining of the water.The wall is retaining the water.Retain is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'of' before its object.

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