retain its position

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "retain its position" is correct and usable in written English.
You might use it in a sentence like: The company had to take drastic measures to retain its position in the market.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

44 human-written examples

Successful re-releases in 1954 and 1961 enabled it to retain its position as the industry's top earner, despite strong challenges from more recent films such as Ben-Hur, but it was finally overtaken by The Sound of Music in 1966.

Wikipedia

While this model created some management challenges, it helped GSK retain its position as one of the world's top pharmaceutical companies and develop a drug pipeline that is among the industry's best.

Harvard Business Review

Still, it plans to retain its position as the largest shareholder whilst bringing in expertise and more capital for growth.

TechCrunch

And over the weekend, the company made clear it wants to retain its position in an LTE future: Docomo is ready to invest $3.4 billion in the next three years to build base stations and will start an LTE service in December this year (as the first of Japan's three major carriers).

TechCrunch

The party is also preparing for October elections, in which it is likely to retain its position as Switzerland's leading party.

The Guardian

If London wants to be the regional hub for trading China's currency, it will need to retain its position as the main centre for settling trades of cash and derivatives in euros.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

The 2 January ceasefire allowed the JNA to retain its positions in East and West Slavonia, which were on the brink of military collapse.

Wikipedia

By following Compass into English, it retains its position as the fiddly and unpersuasive successor to a barnstorming visionary harangue.

The Guardian - Books

It retained its position as the most visited gallery of modern and contemporary art in the world and was the second most popular tourist attraction in the UK, after the British Museum.

BBC

The IIHF recognized the Czech Republic's team as the successor to Czechoslovakia and it retained its position in the top division.

Wikipedia

- Gil Eyal, HYPR! Email marketing continues to prove its value as the top driver of ROI for marketers, and it has retained its position at the top even as digital marketing has grown and changed.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to convey stability and continuity, use "retain its position" to underscore efforts made to maintain a current standing against potential challenges.

Common error

While "maintain its position" is similar, "retain its position" often implies an active effort to prevent loss or decline, not simply a passive continuation of the status quo. Choose "retain" when emphasizing this active defense.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "retain its position" functions as a verb phrase where "retain" is the verb, "its" is a possessive pronoun, and "position" is a noun. This phrase typically indicates an action taken to maintain a current rank, status, or standing. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Academia

18%

Encyclopedias

12%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "retain its position" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression that conveys the idea of actively preserving a current rank, status, or standing. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is correct and applicable across various contexts, with a higher prevalence in news and media, academic, and encyclopedia sources. When using this phrase, it's important to emphasize the active effort involved in maintaining the status quo, differentiating it from simply "maintaining" a position. Related phrases, such as "maintain its status" or "preserve its rank", can be used as alternatives depending on the specific nuances you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

maintain its status

Replaces 'position' with 'status', focusing on the overall standing or rank.

preserve its rank

Emphasizes maintaining a specific order or level in a hierarchy.

hold its place

Suggests maintaining a specific spot or location, either literally or figuratively.

sustain its leadership

Focuses on maintaining a leading role or influence.

defend its title

Implies actively protecting a previously won achievement or recognition.

keep its standing

Highlights maintaining a good reputation or social/professional level.

secure its advantage

Focuses on ensuring a beneficial or superior state is maintained.

uphold its prominence

Emphasizes actively supporting and maintaining a high level of visibility or importance.

protect its interest

Indicates safeguarding something of value or importance to ensure it's kept.

preserve its presence

Highlights maintaining visibility and existence in a specific area or field.

FAQs

How can I use "retain its position" in a sentence?

You can use "retain its position" to describe efforts to keep a specific rank, status or standing, for instance: "The company invested heavily to retain its position as market leader."

What are some alternatives to "retain its position"?

Alternatives include phrases like "maintain its status", "preserve its rank", or "hold its place", depending on the specific context.

What is the difference between "retain its position" and "maintain its position"?

"Retain" often implies a more active effort to keep a position against challenges, while "maintain" can suggest simply continuing the current state. Therefore, depending on the context, it is better to use "retain its position" when there are active forces at play that requires active mitigation strategies.

Is "retain its position" formal or informal language?

The phrase "retain its position" is suitable for both formal and neutral contexts, as it's commonly used in news articles, academic papers, and business reports.