1
as in denying
to be unwilling to grant
must withhold official approval until all the proper forms have been submitted
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in keeping
to continue to have in one's possession or power
withhold some money for your own expenses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of withholding
As evidence of the federal government’s use of withholding research funds to pressure academic institutions, the complaint pointed to Columbia’s settlement, which cost the New York university $200 million.
—
Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Law enforcement searched the couple’s phones and found a video of the dad taunting the boy with a bottle of water and withholding it as the boy could be heard asking for it, according to the report.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
For years, North Dakota legislators rejected proposals to protect mineral owners from oil and gas companies withholding their earnings.
—Jacob Orledge, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025
Similarly, being withholding isn’t just a quality of its storytelling, but a way the film tries to create a sense of meaning.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025
The agency began issuing overpayment notices on April 25, 2025, and would start withholding 50% of the recipient's benefits after about 90 days (or approximately July 24, at the earliest), until the overpayment is repaid.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Fiscal hawks in the House fired a warning shot over government funding by withholding support for, but ultimately allowing passage of, a funding measure Thursday.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
Are writers withholding their best jokes?
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
These policies include withholding federal research funding and new restrictions against international students.
—Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Law enforcement searched the couple’s phones and found a video of the dad taunting the boy with a bottle of water and withholding it as the boy could be heard asking for it, according to the report.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
For years, North Dakota legislators rejected proposals to protect mineral owners from oil and gas companies withholding their earnings.
—Jacob Orledge, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025
Similarly, being withholding isn’t just a quality of its storytelling, but a way the film tries to create a sense of meaning.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025
The agency began issuing overpayment notices on April 25, 2025, and would start withholding 50% of the recipient's benefits after about 90 days (or approximately July 24, at the earliest), until the overpayment is repaid.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Fiscal hawks in the House fired a warning shot over government funding by withholding support for, but ultimately allowing passage of, a funding measure Thursday.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
Are writers withholding their best jokes?
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
These policies include withholding federal research funding and new restrictions against international students.
—Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholding
Verb
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But there’s no denying that this emerging dynamic gives billionaires and their space companies unprecedented power that could play out in exciting — and perhaps dangerous — ways.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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China is also ramping up its ability to target satellites, aimed at weakening or denying adversaries access to space, reported SCMP.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Outside of Seville, Thompson, Lyles, and Bednarek keeping the Jamaica versus USA rivalry alive, the most notable observation of the race is that 50% of the finalists were from African nations, a strong feat for an event typically dominated by the aforementioned countries.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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While Hadden-Paton was unsuccessful in keeping his dapper suit, his costar, Hugh Bonneville, who plays Lord Grantham, confessed to Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan on Live!—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This consistency, Nassau argues, shields founders from the reputational hit of a prior lead refusing to participate in follow-ons.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries say they are united in refusing to back any spending measure that does not include key health care protections and commitments not to roll them back.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For an Indiana group that has high hopes, retaining effective young talent is a must.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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And yet, despite the somewhat shaky premise—retaining the services of an insurance company that isn’t State Farm is like hiring the All About the Bass warbler to oversee your star quarterback’s injury prevention and/or rehabilitation regimen—the spot hasn’t worn out its welcome.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Tesla's world class at rejecting how things were done previously.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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The roughly 3,200 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837 went on strike on August 4 after rejecting the company’s previous offer.—
Reuters 20 min ago,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For every person holding the statue, there are four or five who came close and didn’t.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The extra point was good but there was a holding penalty on the Rebels.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Investors eventually demanded their money back, causing Artamonov to return less than $400,000 by paying original investors with money from new investors or by declining to reimburse them at all, the indictment said.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
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Still, any further restrictions on shots by ACIP could have trickle-down effects, further depressing already declining immunization rates for vaccine-preventable diseases and raising the risk of outbreaks.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With September finally here, the yellow, orange and red hues of fall foliage will soon make an appearance, signalling the coming of the autumn and trees preserving their energy each year.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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Sometimes, when the Fed cuts, long-term rates drop as well, preserving or even widening the spread.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Withholding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withholding. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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