withhold
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to hold back; refrain.
-
to deduct withholding tax.
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
Synonym Usage
See keep.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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withholdsimple
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withholdssimple
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have withheldperfect
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has withheldperfect
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am withholdingprogressive
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are withholdingprogressive
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is withholdingprogressive
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have been withholdingperfect progressive
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has been withholdingperfect progressive
Past
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withheldsimple
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had withheldperfect
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was withholdingprogressive
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were withholdingprogressive
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had been withholdingperfect progressive
Future
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.
If it did not withhold the appropriate amount, that may explain why the SSA is now claiming it overpaid you.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026
Budget watchers say there are concerning signs that the administration plans to withhold more funds.
From Salon • Jun. 23, 2026
"Authorities routinely withhold information about casualties, and families may face pressure not to speak publicly about the circumstances of a death," said Skylar Thompson, the organisation's deputy director.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
On Wednesday, the new Fed chair is expected to withhold his own "dot," but analysts say he is unlikely to drop the entire exercise immediately.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
They must never withhold evidence from the other side.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
