keep 1 of 2

1
as in to celebrate
to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony keep the Sabbath by not working

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in to store
to place somewhere for safekeeping or ready availability I keep extra toothbrushes for unexpected overnight guests

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5
as in to maintain
to pay the living expenses of agreed to keep both of their children in off-campus housing until they graduated and found jobs

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keep

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word keep different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of keep are celebrate, commemorate, and observe. While all these words mean "to notice or honor a day, occasion, or deed," keep stresses the idea of not neglecting or violating.

kept the Sabbath by refraining from work

Where would celebrate be a reasonable alternative to keep?

While in some cases nearly identical to keep, celebrate suggests acknowledging an occasion by festivity.

traditionally celebrates Thanksgiving with a huge dinner

When might commemorate be a better fit than keep?

In some situations, the words commemorate and keep are roughly equivalent. However, commemorate suggests that an occasion is marked by observances that remind one of the origin and significance of the event.

commemorate Memorial Day with the laying of wreaths

When is it sensible to use observe instead of keep?

Although the words observe and keep have much in common, observe suggests marking the occasion by ceremonious performance.

not all holidays are observed nationally

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of keep
Verb
There doesn’t seem to be a clean path to making the 53-man roster unless the Bills either keep six wide receivers, cut someone unexpected like Curtis Samuel or Elijah Moore, or a combination of the two. Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025 Still, their mother kept her job at Kramatorsk’s municipal hospital, and that day Yuliya and Anna came to visit her at work. Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2025
Noun
The dormant Holiday movie theater on Main Street was on the keep list. Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025 The accolades in women’s golf keep coming for Orange Lutheran High junior Jude Lee. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Verb
  • Bridgestone Retail Operations donated the van and $100,000 to celebrate Bridgestone's 10-year anniversary with Boys & Girls Clubs.
    The Tennessean, The Tennessean, 25 July 2025
  • Traverse City Food & Wine, which will celebrate the region's 50-plus wineries and the peak of Michigan's agriculture season, will take place Aug. 20-24 with a farm-to-table theme.
    Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Mulching can help the plant’s shallow roots retain moisture.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 July 2025
  • However, Congress can still review all legislation passed by the D.C. Council and retains authority over the district's budget.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Rather than making customers break down needs into searchable keywords, the AI will understand high-level goals and orchestrate the necessary actions to fulfill them.
    Kiri Masters, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Moda Italiana got vocal on Wednesday defending the country’s high-end fashion supply chain against ongoing claims describing it as failing to fulfill the principles of quality, work ethics and sustainability that the sector has long prided itself on.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Michael Gann, 55, of Inwood, Long Island, has been accused of throwing an IED onto subway tracks, of storing at least five other explosive devices in Manhattan, and of carrying one IED on his person in June 2025.
    Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
  • This will make about a cup of honey syrup that can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 18 days.
    Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • These sealers are used by companies that maintain tennis and pickleball courts.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 2 Aug. 2025
  • These types of grass naturally demand less water than others to maintain a dense lawn.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • He was transferred to Hospice Austin's Christopher House, where his nausea and pain are being managed.
    Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • Picture a future marketing team where customer segmentation, content creation, campaign performance analysis and budget optimization are all managed by interoperable agents.
    Chih-Han Yu, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • Instead, point out the unhealthy ways that her boyfriend is behaving – controlling behavior, anger and lashing out, isolating her and her kids, and monitoring her communication.
    Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 22 July 2025
  • In the nuclear era, for example, the U.S. government controlled the new technology, and planners had two decades to develop policy frameworks before a nuclear rival emerged.
    MATAN CHOREV, Foreign Affairs, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Experts recommend proactive zoning regulations to manage data center growth and protect communities from potential negative impacts. Data centers, the physical hubs helping power the modern digital world, appear headed for Kentucky.
    Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 30 July 2025
  • When the grid goes down, Base Power will protect customers’ homes from power outages.
    Beck Andrew Salgado, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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