withhold

[ with-hohld, with- ]
See synonyms for: withholdwithheldwithholdingwithholds on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),with·held, with·hold·ing.
  1. to hold back; restrain or check.

  2. to refrain from giving or granting: to withhold payment.

  1. to collect (taxes) at the source of income.

  2. to deduct (withholding tax) from an employee's salary or wages.

verb (used without object),with·held, with·hold·ing.
  1. to hold back; refrain.

  2. to deduct withholding tax.

Origin of withhold

1
First recorded in 1150–1200, withhold is from the Middle English word withholden. See with-, hold1

synonym study For withhold

1, 2. See keep.

Other words for withhold

Opposites for withhold

Other words from withhold

  • with·hold·er, noun
  • un·with·held, adjective

Words Nearby withhold

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use withhold in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for withhold

withhold

/ (wɪðˈhəʊld) /


verb-holds, -holding or -held
  1. (tr) to keep back; refrain from giving: he withheld his permission

  2. (tr) to hold back; restrain

  1. (tr) to deduct (taxes, etc) from a salary or wages

  2. (intr usually foll by from) to refrain or forbear

Derived forms of withhold

  • withholder, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012