# retention

/ɹiˈtɛnʃən/ (US) · /ɹɪtˈɛnʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/retention
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. keeping employees or customers

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

the ability of a company to keep its employees or customers over a long time.

For teachers: the continued possession or use of something, specifically the ability of an organisation to maintain its workforce or client base.

- The company offers great benefits to improve staff retention and keep talented workers.
- High employee retention rates are often cited as a primary indicator of a healthy corporate culture and effective management.

Usage: Often used in the compound 'staff retention' or 'customer retention'.

### 2. remembering information

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

the ability to keep facts or images in your mind.

For teachers: the power of retaining and recalling information or experiences in the memory.

- Visual aids like charts can help with the retention of new information during a lecture.
- The study suggests that active recall techniques significantly enhance long-term retention compared to passive reading.

Usage: Commonly follows the preposition 'of'.

### 3. holding back liquids

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

when the body keeps too much fluid or cannot release waste naturally.

For teachers: the abnormal or involuntary withholding of fluids or waste products within the body.

- Eating too much salt can lead to water retention and make your ankles swell.
- The patient was admitted with acute urinary retention, requiring immediate catheterization to prevent kidney damage.

### 4. legal right to hold property

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

the legal right to keep someone else's property until they pay a debt.

For teachers: the right to withhold property or assets until a specific debt or obligation is discharged.

- The garage exercised its right of retention until the car repairs were paid in full.
- The contract included a retention clause, allowing the client to withhold a percentage of the payment until the project reached final completion.

### 5. insurance deductible

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the part of an insurance claim that you must pay yourself.

For teachers: the portion of a risk or potential loss that an insured person or company handles themselves rather than transferring to an insurer.

- The firm decided to increase its self-insured retention to lower the monthly premium.
- By opting for a higher retention, the corporation significantly reduced its annual insurance overhead while assuming greater direct risk.

## Examples

- The company has a high employee retention rate.
- The new training program significantly improved the retention of information among the medical students.
- While the marketing team focused on customer acquisition, the board argued that long-term profitability depended entirely on the retention of existing subscribers through better service.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.