retains awareness

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "retains awareness" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing consciousness, mindfulness, or the ability to remain cognizant of one's surroundings or thoughts. Example: "During meditation, she retains awareness of her breath while letting go of distracting thoughts."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Despite obtaining an α below the minimum cutoff, the decision was made to retain awareness of NHS screening programmes on the grounds of content validity.

British Journal of Cancer

A non- mukallaf adult can retain awareness and perform this act of worship: "Those who remember Allah [God] (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides" (The Quran n.d., 3 191).

American Journal of Bioethics

You can also try walking meditation: one can retain awareness by focusing on taking each step.

WikiHow

The Louisiana nurses are a different stripe of social crusader: deeply religious women, in the main, who work their butts off while retaining an awareness of whether their pocketbooks match their skirts and their shoes.

The New Yorker

"This has led to concerns that some [minimally conscious patients], who retain an awareness of self or environment, are being 'warehoused', without adequate access to appropriate assessment or rehabilitation" [53].

Plosone

12 While retaining an awareness of their problems, persons with mild dementia experience multiple losses, including the loss of social roles, self-esteem, self-confidence, and they have negative feelings about their illness.

Clinical interventions in aging

Indeed, neuroimaging has shown that a subset of this patient group (17 19%), who consistently satisfy the behavioral diagnostic criteria of the vegetative state, retain conscious awareness undetectable through bedside clinical examination [ 6, 7, 14].

BMC Medical Ethics

He's 47 now and retains the heightened physical awareness of a tiny male movie star.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Yet Jason, wise in the way of stories, retains independence and self-awareness.

The New York Times - Books

Still, he retained enough commercial awareness to appreciate that the novel would not succeed if it were unremittingly depressing.

The Guardian - Film

There is little point in retaining a superior awareness of what is going on in space if this means watching debris build up to the point where your own satellites become unusable.Another area of politically sensitive change described by the document is export control.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing a character's mental state in fiction, use "retains awareness" to emphasize their ongoing consciousness even in difficult circumstances.

Common error

Avoid using "retains awareness" when a simpler phrase like "stays aware" would suffice. Overusing complex phrasing can make your writing sound pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "retains awareness" functions primarily as a verb phrase describing the act of keeping or maintaining a state of consciousness or knowledge. As Ludwig indicates, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable. The examples show it used in both medical and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Encyclopedias

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "retains awareness" is a versatile phrase used to describe the act of maintaining consciousness, mindfulness, or knowledge. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts, including science, news, and formal business settings. While "retains awareness" is generally suitable for neutral to formal writing, it's important to consider whether a simpler alternative like "stays aware" might be more appropriate in less formal contexts. The phrase's frequency and presence in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian underscore its credibility and usability in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stays aware

Simplifies the phrase using "stays" instead of "retains".

maintains consciousness

Changes "awareness" to "consciousness" for a more clinical tone.

remains conscious

Changes "retains" to "remains" and replaces "awareness" with "conscious".

retains cognizance

Replaces "awareness" with the more formal term "cognizance".

preserves cognizance

Uses "preserves" instead of "retains" and "cognizance" instead of "awareness" for a more formal tone.

keeps informed

Shifts the focus to retaining information rather than general awareness.

stays mindful

Emphasizes the act of maintaining a state of mindfulness.

holds onto knowledge

Focuses on retaining specific knowledge rather than a general state of awareness.

sustains attention

Highlights the ability to maintain focus and attention.

remembers details

Focuses on retaining specific details rather than general awareness.

FAQs

How can I use "retains awareness" in a sentence?

You can use "retains awareness" to describe someone who remains conscious or mindful. For example: "Even after the accident, she "retains awareness" of her surroundings".

What's the difference between "retains awareness" and "stays aware"?

"Retains awareness" implies a more active effort to keep conscious, while "stays aware" suggests a more passive state. "Retains awareness" is often used in more formal contexts.

What can I say instead of "retains awareness"?

You can use alternatives like "remains conscious", "stays aware", or "maintains consciousness" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "retain awareness"?

Yes, "retain awareness" is grammatically correct. "Retain" is the infinitive form of the verb, often used with auxiliary verbs like 'can', 'will', or 'must'. For example, "Individuals can "retain awareness" through meditation".