# retention

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹɪˈtɛnʃən/ · frequency rank #9,525

## Definitions
1. The act of retaining or something retained.
2. The act or power of remembering things.
3. Memory; what is retained in the mind.
4. The involuntary withholding of urine and faeces.
5. The length of time a patient remains in treatment.
6. That which contains something, as a tablet; a means of preserving impressions.
7. The act of withholding; restraint; reserve.
8. A place of custody or confinement.
9. The right to withhold a debt, or of retaining property until a debt due to the person claiming the right is duly paid; a lien.
10. The portion of a potential damage that must be paid for by the holder of an insurance policy.

## Etymology
From Middle English retencioun, borrowed from Latin retentiō, retentiōnis, from retentus, the perfect passive participle of retineō (“retain”) (from re- (“back, again”) + teneō (“hold, keep”)).

## Easily confused with
- **reception** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reception-vs-retention)
- **rejection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rejection-vs-retention)
- **resection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/resection-vs-retention)

## Common misspellings (14)
`ertention`, `reetntion`, `reteniton`, `retenntion`, `retension`, `retentino`, `retentionn`, `retentoin`, `retenttion`, `retetnion`, `retnetion`, `rettention`, `rretention`, `rteention`

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