withhold
Americanverb (used with object)
-
withholds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
withheld,
past participle, past
-
withholding
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
withholds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
withheld,
past participle, past
-
withholding
present participle
-
to hold back; refrain.
-
to deduct withholding tax.
verb
-
(tr) to keep back; refrain from giving
he withheld his permission
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(tr) to hold back; restrain
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(tr) to deduct (taxes, etc) from a salary or wages
-
to refrain or forbear
Synonym Usage
See keep.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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withholdsimple
-
withholdssimple
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have withheldperfect
-
has withheldperfect
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am withholdingprogressive
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are withholdingprogressive
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is withholdingprogressive
-
have been withholdingperfect progressive
-
has been withholdingperfect progressive
Past
-
withheldsimple
-
had withheldperfect
-
was withholdingprogressive
-
were withholdingprogressive
-
had been withholdingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of withhold
First recorded in 1150–1200, withhold is from the Middle English word withholden. See with-, hold 1
Explanation
If you keep something back and don't share it, you withhold it. You can withhold things such as permission, emotion, or information. You might get into trouble if you withhold information from your parents or the police. The verb withhold means to deduct from a payment and hold back. Your job will withhold money from your paycheck for things like taxes. You may also choose to withhold money from your check for healthcare, retirement, and numerous other voluntary accounts. The past tense of the verb withhold is withheld. Withhold is spelled with a double h because it is made by combining the words with and hold.
Vocabulary lists containing withhold
The Pearl
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100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act III
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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:
We’ve seen as much—liability risk was almost certainly a factor in Anthropic’s decision to withhold Mythos.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Both the US firms had to temporarily withhold the general release of these latest technologies because of fears in Washington that they could help break into crucial infrastructure.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Although, as is the case with too much of Nolan’s storytelling, he wrongly thinks it’s more interesting to withhold Odysseus’ traumatic hang-up until the ending.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
That law, passed in 1974 in the wake of disputes with President Richard Nixon, restricts the president’s authority to withhold, or impound, funds approved by Congress.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
I’ve never known anyone so willing to withhold judgment and overlook what often strike me as major personality defects.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
To satisfy the taxes, Nvidia withholds a certain number of shares from the employee.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026
DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from U.S. chip makers including Nvidia, sources say.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 26, 2026
He withholds his approval to keep the paler, smaller man anxious.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2026
Someone who withholds too little will have to pay the remainder of their tax bill — possibly also penalties and interest if they withheld far too little.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 21, 2025
You would ask how I fell from my high estate, and politeness withholds the question.
From Glories of Spain by Wood, Charles W. (William)
“While the government withheld funding in defiance of its obligations, children were left to face deportation proceedings alone, and some potentially returned to the very abuse, persecution, and danger they fled,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
Anthropic’s most advanced model, Mythos, remains withheld from general distribution because it could be used in cyberattacks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Details of where the offences took place have been withheld to protect the alleged victims' right to anonymity.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
I can’t blame anyone who feels unfairly treated in this scenario: They owe tax on $20,000 they didn’t ask to be withheld and never had possession of the funds.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 19, 2026
Water is the word of the ancestors given to us or withheld, depending on how well we treat them.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
In 2023 she said she fought five times to pay for her divorce, while the following year she accused former coach Gilliard Parana of withholding money from her.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Centcom is withholding additional information, including the identities of the missing and fallen servicemembers, out of respect for the families during the notification process, the command said in a statement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
One year, those withholding elections weren’t updated, resulting in a sizable payment to the Internal Revenue Service.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
He said mortgage companies withholding insurance funds has become an issue across the nation after disasters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Her voice is a little scornful, like she’s mad at me for withholding this information.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
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.
