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
-
(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
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.
Granado-Gomez, a 25-year-old cook in Phoenix, checked “exempt” on the tax form that tells his employer whether to withhold money from his paycheck for federal income taxes.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026
Mazzara’s comment in the email thread with other Homeland Security attorneys was given to American Oversight with a watermark showing the agency had intended to withhold it.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
The suit accused companies including CVS Health and Lego of conspiring to withhold ad spending over X’s content policies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
"There is a proposal on the table, and if that's not done, residents withhold your council tax because you're not getting the service."
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
She gave what she couldn’t with safety withhold, and secured those things which lay in her reach.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
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.
