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Definition of keepnext
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
The couple has three children and keeps their family life largely private. Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026 The timeless wardrobe staple is endlessly stylish and equally practical with its warm interior that keeps reviewers snug in 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2026
Noun
Throughout the day, which nostril is dominant keeps swapping. Sarah Philip, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2025 One of the ways the 80-year-old keeps fit is by pushing bricks at the bottom of the swimming pool. Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 29 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Verb
  • Advocacy groups for student loan borrowers celebrated the announcement of the pause on student loan collections, but cautioned that the suspension is temporary.
    Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The Levi’s Home Turf experience will also feature an exhibition on local record label Empire celebrating their 15th anniversary.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The brand had retained some of its power, buying time, but patience also wore thin.
    Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The cabin in the woods might be gone, replaced with a Ray Harryhausen–style swords-and-sandals epic, but Army of Darkness retains all of the gonzo energy of the previous Evil Dead.
    James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Griot is a West African term for an oral historian and storyteller, a role many saw Bullock fulfilling.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
  • The company had touted the service’s ability to cut the retailer’s delivery times by fulfilling closer to the consumer.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The bronze doors and concrete walls with remarkably few windows looked ancient, and the building more closely resembled a student dormitory awaiting demolition than an institution where precious cultural assets from around the world were collected and stored.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
  • For decades, this half-square-mile town wedged between Costco and Highway 1 has been hiding in plain sight — a warehouse district turned open-air art gallery, where murals climb concrete walls and sculptors work in spaces that once stored industrial equipment.
    Audrey T. Williams, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Kim maintained a high profile as first lady, often wearing stylish outfits on overseas presidential trips that won her both praise and criticism back home.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
  • If Engstrand had stayed while maintaining his title of offensive coordinator, the Jets could have skipped the interview process required for offensive and defensive coordinators.
    Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The side managed by former Kazakhstan international Rafael Urazbakhtin have now lost four games in a row in the Champions League.
    Will Jeanes, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Bad things always linger, but usually at the margins, where they're somewhat easily managed.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The lawsuit accused Reina of secretly opening and controlling corporate credit cards and using station funds to pay mortgage and property tax bills on his West Sacramento home.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • According to a 2020 study published in Nature Communications, which compared populations from different vent fields, the scaly-foot gastropod’s iron sulfide mineralization is biologically controlled and tied to gene expression.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • As a recent Forbes analysis on AI and internal controls underscores, when technology reshapes how money moves, CFOs become responsible not just for managing risk, but for preserving the control structures that protect enterprise value.
    Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • During Wednesday morning's hearing, the former detainees testified remotely from their home countries using translators and only their initials to protect their identities.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

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