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
Many kids want to keep playing at the park or in the pool, totally oblivious to the fact that their parents are desperate to sit in front of the AC for a few minutes. Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 27 June 2025 Grateful for their progress and will continue to keep them in our prayers. Peter Aitken hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
Noun
Ensure the keep pile isn’t overflowing while your donate pile is slim. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025 Tell that to the millions of regular people working at fast-food joints and factories who must go to work every day to earn their keep. Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Verb
  • There would be plenty to celebrate if Iranians successfully replaced the Islamist regime that has tyrannized them for 45 years.
    Jason D. Greenblatt, semafor.com, 18 June 2025
  • To celebrate the 100th anniversary of American Legion Baseball, San Diego’s District 22 will host the Rear Admiral Shelton Tournament — one of the top high school-age events of the summer — this week.
    John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • For example, by day 70, Manhattan condos retain almost 97% of their original asking price, while Manhattan townhouses have already slipped to 92%.
    John Walkup, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • Patients retain more energy, more dignity, more of their ordinary lives.
    Siddhartha Mukherjee, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • The analyst pointed to Gildan's sourcing in South America as a potential way for the company to pay a less than 10% tariff on goods coming into the U.S. Companies could choose to partner with Gildan as a result, in order to fulfill production needs, the analyst said.
    Brian Evans, CNBC, 17 June 2025
  • Many buyers are turning to other automakers to fulfill their electric vehicle (EV) desires.
    Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • The graph below is a combination of data from May and June in 2025 from the research center and archived values stored by the St. Louis Fed.
    Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
  • At Lakeside, the strength staff stored the school’s prowler sleds in a storage room inside the gymnasium.
    Doug Haller, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • While relationships — particularly those with elements of the fanbase — were fractured by the time of Messi’s departure in the summer of 2025, sources close to the French club — who will remain anonymous to protect relationships — maintain there are no regrets over his signing.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 28 June 2025
  • Yet, their constant presence helped maintain urgency of the change process.
    IESE Business School, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • These trends mark a profound shift in how risk is understood, priced, and managed.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • How To Get Rid Of Cucumber Beetles Follow these strategies from Khan and Day for managing these beetles in your garden: Use row covers.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • But President Trump, and the Republican Party—which controls both Houses of Congress --are united on the bill’s main objective.
    Richard McGahey, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • The number of apartments built there is controlled by the state’s density bonus law, which allows projects that include affordable housing to include more units than permitted under local zoning laws.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • In experiments set up to leave AI models few options and stress-test alignment, top systems from OpenAI, Google, and others frequently resorted to blackmail—and in an extreme case, even allowed fictional deaths—to protect their interests.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 June 2025
  • No one disputes that a government’s first responsibility is to protect its own citizens.
    Michael Sheldrick, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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