# retained vs retired

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### retained
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈteɪnd/ · frequency rank #6,409*
simple past and past participle of retain

### retired
*adjective · IPA /ɹɪˈtaɪəd/ · frequency rank #3,390*
Secluded from society (of a lifestyle, activity etc.); private, quiet.

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