definitions

withhold

[ with-hohld, with- ]
/ wɪθˈhoʊld, wɪð- /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR withhold ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), with·held, with·hold·ing.

to hold back; restrain or check.
to refrain from giving or granting: to withhold payment.
to collect (taxes) at the source of income.
to deduct (withholding tax) from an employee's salary or wages.

verb (used without object), with·held, with·hold·ing.

to hold back; refrain.
to deduct withholding tax.

RELATED CONTENT

Negative Or Positive Reinforcement: Which Is Better?Whether positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement is better all depends on the situation and the personality of the receiving person.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

confining, deterring, hindering, curbing, restrictive

Nearby words

witherite, withers, withershins, witherspoon, witherspoon, john, withhold, withholding tax, within, within an ace of, within bounds, within call

Origin of withhold

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

Related forms

with·hold·er, nounun·with·held, adjective

Definition for withholding (2 of 2)

withholding tax

noun

that part of an employee's tax liability withheld by the employer from wages or salary and paid directly to the government.

Origin of withholding tax

First recorded in 1940–45
Also called withhold·ing.

Related forms

un·with·hold·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for withholding

British Dictionary definitions for withholding (1 of 2)

withhold

/ (wɪðˈhəʊld) /

verb -holds, -holding or -held

(tr) to keep back; refrain from givinghe withheld his permission
(tr) to hold back; restrain
(tr) to deduct (taxes, etc) from a salary or wages
(intr usually foll by from) to refrain or forbear

Derived Forms

withholder, noun

British Dictionary definitions for withholding (2 of 2)

withholding tax

noun

tax deducted at source from income, esp from dividends, paid to nonresidents of a country, which may be reclaimed if a double-taxation agreement exists between the country in which the income is paid and the country of residence of the recipient
US a portion of an employee's tax liability paid directly to the government by the employer
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

Culture definitions for withholding

withholding tax

The tax withheld (or deducted) directly from one's paycheck.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.