# refining vs retaining

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### refining
*noun · frequency rank #17,012*
Refinement (process of refining)

### retaining
*adjective · IPA /ɹɪˈteɪnɪŋ/ · frequency rank #9,951*
Of or pertaining to something that retains something else, as with a retaining wall.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/refining-vs-retaining