Retain vs. Attain — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Retain and Attain
ADVERTISEMENT
Compare with Definitions
Retain
To keep possession of; continue to have
The family sold the house but retained the land.
Attain
To gain as an objective; achieve
Attain a diploma by hard work.
Retain
To keep in a particular place or condition
A library that retains the author's papers.
Plants that retain a lot of water.
Attain
To come to or arrive at, as through movement, growth, or the passage of time
Redwoods can attain a height of 300 feet.
Retain
To continue to have as a feature or aspect
Retains his good humor after all the setbacks.
ADVERTISEMENT
Attain
To succeed in a directed effort, process, or progression
Attained to high office.
Eventually attained to wisdom.
Retain
To keep in mind; remember
Retains the songs she learned in childhood.
Attain
(transitive) To gain (an object or desired result).
To attain such a high level of proficiency requires hours of practice each day.
Retain
To require (a student) to repeat a class or grade because of insufficient educational progress to advance.
Attain
(transitive) To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at (a place, time, state, etc.).
Retain
To keep in one's service or pay
Retain employees on a workforce.
Attain
(intransitive) To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.
Retain
To hire (an attorney, for example) by the payment of a fee.
Attain
To get at the knowledge of.
Retain
To hire a person for (that person's services)
Retained the best legal advice available.
Attain
To reach in excellence or degree.
Retain
(transitive) To keep in possession or use.
Attain
To reach a person after being behind them.
Retain
(transitive) To keep in one's pay or service.
Attain
To achieve or accomplish, that is, to reach by efforts; to gain; to compass; as, to attain rest.
Is he wise who hopes to attain the end without the means?
Retain
(transitive) To employ by paying a retainer.
Attain
To gain or obtain possession of; to acquire.
Retain
(transitive) To hold secure.
Attain
To get at the knowledge of; to ascertain.
Not well attaining his meaning.
Retain
To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year.
Attain
To reach or come to, by progression or motion; to arrive at.
Retain
(obsolete) To restrain; to prevent.
Attain
To overtake.
Retain
To belong; to pertain.
Attain
To reach in excellence or degree; to equal.
Retain
To continue to hold; to keep in possession; not to lose, part with, or dismiss; to restrain from departure, escape, or the like.
Be obedient, and retainUnalterably firm his love entire.
An executor may retain a debt due to him from the testator.
Attain
To come or arrive, by motion, growth, bodily exertion, or efforts toward a place, object, state, etc.; to reach.
If by any means they might attain to Phenice.
Nor nearer might the dogs attain.
To see your trees attain to the dignity of timber.
Few boroughs had as yet attained to power such as this.
Retain
To keep in pay; to employ by a preliminary fee paid; to hire; to engage; as, to retain a counselor.
A Benedictine convent has now retained the most learned father of their order to write in its defense.
Attain
To come or arrive, by an effort of mind.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it.
Retain
To restrain; to prevent.
Attain
Attainment.
Retain
To belong; to pertain.
A somewhat languid relish, retaining to bitterness.
Attain
To gain with effort;
She achieved her goal despite setbacks
Retain
To keep; to continue; to remain.
Attain
Reach a point in time, or a certain state or level;
The thermometer hit 100 degrees
This car can reach a speed of 140 miles per hour
Retain
Hold within;
This soil retains water
I retain this drug for a long time
Attain
Find unexpectedly;
The archeologists chanced upon an old tomb
She struck a goldmine
The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake
Retain
Allow to remain in a place or position;
We cannot continue several servants any longer
She retains a lawyer
The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff
Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on
We kept the work going as long as we could
Attain
Reach a destination, either real or abstract;
We hit Detroit by noon
The water reached the doorstep
We barely made it to the finish line
I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts
Retain
Secure and keep for possible future use or application;
The landlord retained the security deposit
I reserve the right to disagree
Retain
Keep in one's mind;
I cannot retain so much information
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Saturated vs. UndersaturatedNext Comparison
Attribute vs. Identity