# retail vs retain

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### retail
*noun · IPA /ˈɹiˌteɪl/ · frequency rank #2,757*
The sale of goods directly to the consumer, encompassing the storefronts, mail-order, websites, etc., and the corporate mechanisms, branding, advertising, etc. that support them.

### retain
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈteɪn/ · frequency rank #5,541*
Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.

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