withhold
verb (used with object)
to hold back; restrain or check.
was withholding
-
past progressiveof withhold.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
However, in the email to Fain and Boyer, the monitor said he was withholding certain information out of deference to a grand jury investigation initiated by the Justice Department.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Another NHK staff member -- whose identity CPJ said it was withholding for safety reasons -- fled Iran in early February after being summoned several times, CPJ said.
From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026
When asked by the BBC, the IDF declined to say why it was withholding Jad's body.
From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026
She said she didn’t plan to be politically active in the current mayor’s race and was withholding judgment on the Trump administration, since she was taking a “political break.”
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2025
The deception was for his benefit—he was withholding information because patients might have refused to participate in his study if they’d known what he was injecting.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
