withhold
Americanverb (used with object)
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
Related Words
See keep.
Other Word Forms
- unwithheld adjective
- withholder noun
Etymology
Origin of withhold
First recorded in 1150–1200, withhold is from the Middle English word withholden. See with-, hold 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 legislation allowed the justice department to withhold certain files to secure active investigations or prosecutions, and to protect the identities of victims.
From BBC
A US judge granted him a status called "withholding of removal" last year, he said, because it was likely he "would face the same situation" if he were sent home.
From Barron's
Under the law, the Justice Department can withhold files if they are duplicates; fall under attorney-client privilege; could hurt a continuing investigation or are completely unrelated to the Epstein and Maxwell cases.
An NPR investigation published Tuesday found several documents were removed or withheld from the public database including the tip from the limo driver to the FBI’s national threat operation center.
From Salon
Your father not only withheld that financial support and love and affection from your 9-year-old self, he also blocked the way for your stepfather to completely fulfill that role.
From MarketWatch
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.
