# retains vs returns

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### retains
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈteɪnz/ · frequency rank #12,314*
third-person singular simple present indicative of retain

### returns
*noun · IPA /ɹɪˈtɜːnz/ · frequency rank #2,497*
plural of return

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