kept

[kept]

verb

1. simple past tense and past participle of keep.

adjective

1. having the expression of principles, ideas, etc., controlled, dominated, or determined by one whose money provides support.

   a kept press;

   a kept writer.

kept

/ kɛpt /

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of keep

2. pejorative,  a woman maintained by a man as his mistress

Other Word Forms

• unkept adjective
• well-kept adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of kept¹

First recorded in 1670–80 kept for def. 2

Example Sentences

The Bank of Japan kept interest rates on hold Thursday at 0.5 percent, as widely expected by economists.

Read more on Barron's

Demand for Treasurys kept humming, sending yields down, ahead of the expected first Fed cut of the year.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In Italy, Meloni remains the dominant figure, while Austria’s Freedom Party came first in last year’s election but was kept out of the new coalition government.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"I kept waking up periodically through the night to try and get through."

Read more on BBC

He has kept buying shares and now owns roughly 71% of the company.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal