retains
v.v. to keep or continue to have something. You use this when someone or something does not lose a quality, a person, or an object.
v. to continue to possess, hold, or keep something in place. Often used in formal or technical contexts to describe maintaining a state or keeping a professional service.
The old building still retains its original charm.
The company retains a team of lawyers to handle any potential legal disputes that might arise.
Although the substance undergoes a chemical change, it retains its original mass, demonstrating the fundamental principle of conservation within a closed system.
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
The water is retained by the soilThe soil retains the waterWhile the passive voice is grammatically possible, learners often over-rely on it; 'retain' is more naturally used in the active voice to show what is holding the object.