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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Ananda Lewis Busta kept his remarks short and heartfelt, thanking his family and also taking the time to honor Ananda Lewis, the former MTV VJ who died earlier this year after being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025 McGraw, in particular, has transitioned into acting and producing, which keeps the country legacy alive. Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
Zubimendi was leading the keep-ball in front of the defence. Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2025 Let’s hope those idea-fish keep coming down the river. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Verb
  • In June, Inaba celebrated her 20th anniversary with the program in a lengthy message posted to social media.
    Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Farage, meanwhile, has publicly celebrated his own friendship with the commander in chief.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The brands that double down on efforts to retain customers through engagement and personalized experiences stand to win on two fronts–retaining more customers while attracting consumers dissatisfied with their current banking experience.
    Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Always in darkness, PSRs are thought to retain water ice that, if present, could be converted into drinkable water, breathable oxygen and rocket fuel.
    Leonard David, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Liberation from time and pruning through mass dishwasher ownership is a dream that remainsonly partly fulfilled.
    Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Half of Walmart’s online orders are fulfilled from stores, with the rest coming from Walmart warehouses and seller warehouses.
    Dan Gingiss, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Carbon credit monetization – Forward-looking companies are already earning credits by capturing and storing emissions, feeding into voluntary and compliance carbon markets.
    Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Hospitals can store medical records, lab results, imaging scans, and real time feeds from bedside monitors in a single hub.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This means regularly assessing your thinking skills, consciously choosing when to engage versus delegate mental tasks, and maintaining practices that keep your mind sharp.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • When asked about the changing landscape of college athletics, Calipari said more regulations need to be put in place, including tougher restrictions on transfers and years that players are able to maintain eligibility.
    Michael Harley, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • What began as a handful of campus groups now stretches across more than 3,500 high schools and universities, supported by dozens of full-time staff who manage student activists like a professional sales force.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • At the same time, the industry is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics to manage tariff risks, optimize logistics costs, and ensure pricing compliance across complex regulatory environments.
    Nish Acharya, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Democrats are doing fairly well in the generic congressional ballot, which tests which party voters prefer to control Congress.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The team has now built the first transistor-like switch that controls exciton flow.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • With his back against the wall, Tony must draw on his tactical training to protect his family and survive a deadly showdown with a powerful crime syndicate.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Some Cosmists saw technology as destructive and transformative, while others believed its role should be to protect and preserve.
    Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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