What is retention? Retention is the act of retaining, that is, holding onto or keeping possession of something, as in Kim noted the plant’s successful retention of water.

Definition of retention noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Retention of clients or money is the process of ensuring that a policyholder remains a customer of the insurer or that money to be paid out remains in the insurer's accounts.

RETENTION definition: 1. the continued use, existence, or possession of something or someone: 2. the continued use…. Learn more.

The meaning of RETENTION is the act of retaining : the state of being retained. How to use retention in a sentence.

retention (rɪˈtɛnʃən) n 1. the act of retaining or state of being retained 2. the capacity to hold or retain liquid

There are 19 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun retention, five of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

re•ten•tion (ri ten′ shən), n. the act of retaining. the state of being retained. capacity for retaining. memory. Synonyms: holding, withholding, detention, recall, memory, more...

Jan 20, 2026 · Noun retention (countable and uncountable, plural retentions) The act of retaining or something retained.

You can use retention to mean the ability to keep or hold. If you have extraordinary powers of retention, you remember everything you hear or learn.