This is the 11481st most frequent French word.
retenant
"Retenant" means "retaining" or "holding back" in English.
Here, 'retenant' is used as a present participle, indicating the action of holding the door performed by the subject.
En retenant la porte, il a permis à tout le monde d'entrer.
By holding the door, he allowed everyone to enter.
In this sentence, 'retenant' functions as a present participle, showing the simultaneity of the action of holding back tears with narrating the story.
Elle racontait l'histoire en retenant ses larmes.
She was telling the story while holding back her tears.
The word 'retenant' here is a present participle and conveys the action of mentally retaining or remembering something in parallel with progression.