diff --git a/R/retrieve.R b/R/retrieve.R
index 20b11166b..659220719 100644
--- a/R/retrieve.R
+++ b/R/retrieve.R
@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@ the$repos_archive <- new.env(parent = emptyenv())
 #'   those packages were downloaded.
 #'
 #' @export
+#'
+#' @examples
+#' \dontrun{
+#'
+#' # retrieve package + versions as defined in the lockfile
+#' # normally used as a pre-flight step to renv::restore()
+#' renv::retrieve()
+#'
+#' # download one or more packages locally
+#' renv::retrieve("rlang", destdir = ".")
+#'
+#' }
 retrieve <- function(packages = NULL,
                      ...,
                      lockfile = NULL,
diff --git a/man/retrieve.Rd b/man/retrieve.Rd
index 0bdfa27c0..c403f0682 100644
--- a/man/retrieve.Rd
+++ b/man/retrieve.Rd
@@ -39,3 +39,15 @@ before later invoking \code{\link[=restore]{restore()}}. Packages will be downlo
 to a directory within the \code{renv} "root" folder -- see \link{paths} for
 more details.
 }
+\examples{
+\dontrun{
+
+# retrieve package + versions as defined in the lockfile
+# normally used as a pre-flight step to renv::restore()
+renv::retrieve()
+
+# download one or more packages locally
+renv::retrieve("rlang", destdir = ".")
+
+}
+}