- present participle of keep.
keeping
Americannoun
-
agreement or conformity in things or elements associated together.
His actions are not in keeping with his words.
- Synonyms:
- harmony, congruity, consistency
-
the act of a person or thing that keeps; observance, custody, or care.
- Synonyms:
- guardianship, charge, protection
-
maintenance or keep.
-
holding, reserving, or retaining.
noun
-
conformity or harmony (esp in the phrases in or out of keeping )
-
charge or care
valuables in the keeping of a bank
Synonym Usage
See custody.
Etymology
Origin of keeping
First recorded in 1250–1300, keeping is from the Middle English word keping. See keep, -ing 1
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.
The first half was all about keeping the ball out of the hands of Frithsmith and Lattimore.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
The nonprofit is keeping up with its mortgage payments, but it is in violation of certain loan covenants on multiple properties.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Former CEC SY Quraishi, who says he has "been a critic of the SIR from the beginning", told news agency PTI that he always wondered why Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi had been "keeping quiet".
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
My wife was the only sibling who expressed an interest in keeping the house in the family.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
I demand, keeping my eye on the door behind him, still ajar as he hasn’t yet had the chance to close it.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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.
