keep
Americanverb (used with object)
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keeps,
present (3rd person singular)
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kept,
past participle, past
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keeping
present participle
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to hold or retain in one's possession; hold as one's own.
If you like it, keep it. Keep the change.
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to hold or have the use of for a period of time.
You can keep it for the summer.
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to hold in a given place; store.
You can keep your things in here.
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to maintain (some action), especially in accordance with specific requirements, a promise, etc..
to keep watch; to keep step.
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to cause to continue in a given position, state, course, or action.
to keep a light burning; to keep a child happy.
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to maintain in condition or order, as by care and labor.
He keeps his car in good condition.
- Synonyms:
- preserve
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to maintain in usable or edible condition; preserve.
If you want to keep meat for a long time, freeze it.
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to hold in custody or under guard, as a prisoner.
They kept him in jail.
- Antonyms:
- release
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to cause to stay in a particular place; prevent or restrain from departure.
The work kept her at the office.
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to have regularly in stock and for sale.
to keep a large supply of machine parts.
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to maintain in one's service or for one's use or enjoyment.
to keep a car and chauffeur.
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to associate with.
She keeps bad company.
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to have the care, charge, or custody of.
She keeps my dog when I travel.
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to refrain from disclosing; withhold from the knowledge of others.
to keep a secret.
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to withhold from use; reserve; save.
I'll keep this toy until you learn to behave. Keep the good wine for company.
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to hold back or restrain.
They kept the child from talking. Nothing can keep him from doing it.
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to maintain control of; regulate.
to keep the peace; to keep your temper.
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to maintain by writing.
to keep a diary.
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to record (business transactions, daily occurrences, etc.) regularly.
to keep records; to keep a list of visitors.
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to observe; pay obedient regard to (a law, rule, promise, etc.).
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to conform to; follow; fulfill.
to keep one's word.
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to observe (a season, festival, etc.) with formalities or rites.
to keep Christmas.
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to maintain or carry on, as an establishment, business, etc.; manage.
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to guard; protect.
He kept her from harm.
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to maintain or support.
It costs more each year to keep a house.
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to support or contribute to the support of in return for sexual or other favors.
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to take care of; tend.
to keep a vegetable garden.
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to raise (livestock).
These farmers keep goats and cattle.
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to remain in (a place, spot, etc.).
Please keep your seats.
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to maintain one's position in or on.
He kept the job.
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to continue to follow (a path, track, course, etc.).
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to maintain in active existence, as an assembly, court, or fair.
verb (used without object)
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keeps,
present (3rd person singular)
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kept,
past participle, past
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keeping
present participle
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to continue in an action, course, position, state, etc..
to keep in sight; to keep going.
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to remain, or continue to be, as specified.
to keep cool.
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to remain or stay in a particular place.
to keep indoors.
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to continue unimpaired or without spoiling.
The food will keep on ice.
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to admit of being reserved for a future occasion.
I have more to tell you, but it will keep.
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to keep oneself or itself as specified (followed by away, back, off, out, etc.).
Keep off the grass.
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to restrain oneself; refrain (usually followed byfrom ).
Try to keep from smiling.
noun
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keeps
plural
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board and lodging; subsistence; support.
to work for one's keep.
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the innermost and strongest structure or central tower of a medieval castle.
- Synonyms:
- stronghold, dungeon, donjon
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(used with a singular verb) keeps, a game of marbles in which the players keep the marbles they have won.
verb phrase
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keep to
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to adhere to; conform to.
She keeps to the rules.
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to confine oneself to.
to keep to one's bed.
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keep up
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to maintain an equal rate of speed, activity, or progress with another or others.
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to persevere; continue.
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to maintain the good condition of; keep in repair.
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Also keep up onwith. to stay informed.
to keep up on current events.
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to match one's friends, neighbors, business associates, etc., in success, affluence, etc.
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keep on to continue; persist.
If you keep on singing they'll ask you to leave.
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keep in with to stay in someone's favor; be on good terms with.
They are social climbers who make certain to keep in with all the right people.
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keep down
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to hold under control or at a reduced or acceptable level.
to keep your voice down.
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to prevent from going up or increasing.
to keep prices down.
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keep back
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to hold in check; restrain.
The dikes kept back the floodwaters.
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to stay away from.
The crowds would not keep back from the barrier.
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to refuse to reveal.
The prisoner was keeping back vital information.
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keep at to persist in; be steadfast.
You'll never master your French unless you keep at it.
idioms
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keep track of. track.
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keep books, to maintain financial records.
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keep to oneself,
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to remain aloof from the society of others.
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to hold (something) as secret or confidential.
I'll tell you only if you promise to keep it to yourself.
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keep time. time.
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keep tab / tabs on. tab.
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for keeps,
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under the stipulation that one keeps one's winnings.
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with serious intent or purpose.
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finally; permanently.
They decided to settle the argument for keeps.
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verb
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(tr) to have or retain possession of
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(tr) to have temporary possession or charge of
keep my watch for me during the game
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(tr) to store in a customary place
I keep my books in the desk
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to remain or cause to remain in a specified state or condition
keep the dog quiet
keep ready
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to continue or cause to continue
keep the beat
keep in step
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(tr) to have or take charge or care of
keep the shop for me till I return
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(tr) to look after or maintain for use, pleasure, etc
to keep chickens
keep two cars
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(tr) to provide for the upkeep or livelihood of
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(tr) to support financially, esp in return for sexual favours
he keeps a mistress in the country
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to confine or detain or be confined or detained
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to withhold or reserve or admit of withholding or reserving
your news will keep till later
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(tr) to refrain from divulging or violating
to keep a secret
keep one's word
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to preserve or admit of preservation
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to observe with due rites or ceremonies
to keep Christmas
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(tr) to maintain by writing regular records in
to keep a diary
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to stay in, on, or at (a place or position)
please keep your seats
keep to the path
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(tr) to associate with (esp in the phrase keep bad company )
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(tr) to maintain in existence
to keep court in the palace
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(tr) to have habitually in stock
this shop keeps all kinds of wool
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how are you?
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informal to keep a watchful eye on
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See track
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See time
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to play as wicketkeeper in the game of cricket
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informal I have no interest in what you are offering
noun
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living or support
he must work for his keep
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archaic charge or care
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Also called: dungeon, donjon. the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
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informal
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completely; permanently
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for the winner or possessor to keep permanently
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Usage
What is a basic definition of keep? Keep means to hold on to something and not let it leave your possession. Keep can also mean to store something in a certain place. And keep can mean to continue an action or to remain in a certain state. Keep has many other senses as a verb and a few as a noun and is used in a large number of idioms. If you keep something, it means that you are making sure it stays yours and doesn’t leave your possession. For example, if you don’t give money to someone, then you are keeping it. The past tense of keep is kept.
- Real-life examples: Most people prefer to keep money rather than give it away or spend it. If a childhood toy means a lot to you, you probably want to keep it and not throw it away. If nobody claims a lost item, then the store or police will usually let the finder keep it.
- Used in a sentence: I’m going to keep this old hat I found rather than throw it away.
- Real-life examples: Almost everyone keeps perishable food in a refrigerator. You might keep your clothes on the floor, although your mom wants them in a dresser. People keep money in a safe or bank account. The police keep prisoners in jail.
- Used in a sentence: Aylia keeps her priceless jewelry in a lockbox.
- Real-life examples: A business will keep making money as long as it can. Most pets will keep staring at you until you either finish eating or give them some food. The moon will keep rotating around Earth unless something stops it.
- Used in a sentence: Sasha is persistent and will keep hitting that piñata until candy comes out.
- Real-life examples: People store ice cream in a freezer so it keeps cold. Most people find it hard to keep calm during a crisis. People wear jackets or use umbrellas to keep dry during a rainstorm.
- Used in a sentence: The men gathered around the fire to keep warm.
Synonym Usage
Keep, reserve, retain, withhold refer to having and holding in possession. Keep (a common word) and retain (a more formal one) agree in meaning to continue to have or hold, as opposed to losing, parting with, or giving up: to keep a book for a week. To reserve is to keep for some future use, occasion, or recipient, or to hold back for a time: to reserve judgment. To withhold is generally to hold back altogether: to withhold help.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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keepsimple
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keepssimple
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have keptperfect
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has keptperfect
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am keepingprogressive
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are keepingprogressive
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is keepingprogressive
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have been keepingperfect progressive
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has been keepingperfect progressive
Past
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keptsimple
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had keptperfect
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was keepingprogressive
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were keepingprogressive
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had been keepingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of keep
First recorded before 1000; Middle English kepen, Old English cēpan “to observe, heed, watch, await, take”; perhaps akin to Old English gecōp “proper, fitting,” capian “to look,” Old Norse kōpa “to stare”
Explanation
To keep means to have and hold on to something — like to keep your wallet in your pocket. It also means to continue; if you keep hula hooping you’ll break the world record! Keep has many senses in English, and shows up in a lot of our common expressions, like “keep out!" and "keep your shirt on!" The word generally has the senses of hold onto, maintain, stay, continue, or protect from harm. Food that will not spoil yet will keep. You can keep a secret, keep a diary, or keep your little sister safe. You can also keep a ritual or religious custom by practicing it –- like to keep kosher. Whatever you do, “just keep going.”
Vocabulary lists containing keep
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The new system will also feature real-time status updates so you don’t have to keep checking your mailbox ahead of an international trip.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
With California’s coast getting pounded by strong waves amid a strengthening El Niño, residents and city leaders are turning to big rocks and seawalls to protect homes and keep railroads from falling into the sea.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
It has a plan to keep some AI spending off its balance sheet.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
The shop front was badly damaged in the crash but the owner and family worked late on Friday and Saturday to fix the front and keep the shop open for customers.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
My mom raised me to know when to keep my sometimes-sassy mouth shut.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
My daughter lives in Ohio and keeps telling me to “just retire already,” but she doesn’t see my bank statements.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
The brokerage lowers the stock’s target price to 20.00 baht from 125.00 baht but keeps a buy rating.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Silver may become more attractive than gold if the economy keeps chugging along, because of its industrial uses.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
The restoration keeps the palm houses looking much as they were intended, but using modern techniques and materials which should guarantee the future of these much-loved buildings.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
He keeps looking at Dad to gauge how serious this thing is.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Third: Survivors should be kept informed about what is happening with their case.
From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2026
The move—explained at the time as beneficial to sponsors and protective to all three teams—negated Mighty Mary’s seismic win and kept Conner in the mix.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
One of the reasons I kept working as long as this is that I’m on the company’s health-insurance plan, which costs $190 a month.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
As 2008 gave way to 2009 the messages kept arriving until eventually the email trail went cold.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Kathy’s heart started to pound, her palms were sweaty, and her breath was short, but she kept her eyes on her moshom, and what SJ had said echoed in her mind.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
"But by far, the loudest feedback we heard was from people who were enthusiastic supporters of the category, fellow music creators expressing their encouragement for keeping it."
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Be sure you’re attending networking events, staying in touch with old bosses and colleagues, and keeping your resume up to date.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
Supply chains that transform crude into fuel are still under siege, and that is keeping prices high—helping drive a brutal bond selloff.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
But, of course, it was possible that someone purchased and was keeping the snake illegally.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Every now and then, searchlights roam the sky, criss-crossing over each other and making us stop and throw ourselves to the ground, crouching low and keeping quiet till they’ve gone.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
