withhold
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to hold back; refrain.
-
to deduct withholding tax.
verb
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(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
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have withheldperfect
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has withheldperfect 3rd person singular
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is withholdingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been withholdingperfect progressive
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has been withholdingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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withholdssingular 3rd person
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am withholdingprogressive 1st person singular
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are withholdingprogressive
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withholdingparticiple
Past
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had withheldperfect
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had been withholdingperfect progressive
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were withholdingprogressive plural
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withheldparticiple
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withheldsimple
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was withholdingprogressive singular
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.
Lample painted a picture of cancer cures and scientific breakthroughs that commercial or geopolitical competitors might withhold from Europe if it has no homegrown superintelligence capacity.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
There is no good reason to withhold the data.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
X's second commitment is to withhold UK access to accounts reported for posting UK illegal terrorist content, if it determines they are operated by, or on behalf of, a terrorist organisation proscribed in the UK.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Sir Keir told MPs he found it "staggering" that "officials in the Foreign Office saw fit to withhold this information" from ministers.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
Often the authorities would withhold mail out of spite.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
