retention

The act of keeping something or continuing to have it.

• Better pay improved staff retention.
• The soil's water retention helps plants survive dry weather.
• Our data retention policy explains how long we keep customer records.

How to use it: retention of something (The rules require the retention of these records for five years.)

Similar words: keeping, preservation

Common phrases: staff retention, water retention, retention of something

The ability to keep facts or experiences in your memory.

• Sleep helps memory retention.
• Short quizzes improved the students' retention of facts.
• Does writing notes help your retention of new information?

How to use it: retention of something (Regular review improves retention of new vocabulary.)

Similar words: memory, recall

Common phrases: memory retention, retention of information, improve retention

The facts or experiences that remain in someone's memory.

• Her retention of the journey was fragmentary.
• His mental retention included faces but very few names.
• My retention of those early years has faded.

How to use it: retention of something (His retention of that distant summer consisted of a few vivid images.)

Similar words: memory, recollection

Common phrases: retention of something, mental retention

A condition in which the body cannot let out urine or solid waste normally.

• The patient developed urinary retention.
• A catheter relieved the retention of urine.
• The doctor assessed her bowel retention after surgery.

How to use it: retention of urine (Retention of urine can cause severe discomfort.)

Common phrases: urinary retention, acute retention, retention of urine