keeping

noun

keep·​ing ˈkē-piŋ 

1

: conformity

in keeping with good taste

out of keeping with the decor

2

: the act of one that keeps: such as

a

: custody, maintenance

b

: observance

c

: a reserving or preserving for future use

3

a

: the means by which something is kept : support, provision

b

: the state of being kept or the condition in which something is kept

the house is in good keeping

Synonyms

• custody
• care

Examples of keeping in a Sentence

put the house keys into a neighbor's secure keeping while they were on vacation

my aunt has all of our family's old photographs in her keeping

Recent Examples on the Web

There's no keeping score and no referees, and spots are pre-paid annually so Fons doesn't have to ask members for money each week. —Mia Thurow, jsonline.com, 12 Aug. 2025

Inadequate record keeping of seafood/shellfish and fish. —Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 5 Aug. 2025

This particular clock is technically an ion clock, which is different from the more common atomic clocks that are based on measuring the resonant frequencies of a single cesium atom to regulate time keeping. —New Atlas, 18 July 2025

Our smartphones make keeping in contact so much easier. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 29 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing keeping

• how are you keeping
• in keeping with
• in someone's keeping
• keeping a watching brief
• keeping company with the likes of
• keeping room
• out of keeping with
• record-keeping
• what is keeping someone

Rhymes for keeping

• beeping
• creeping
• heaping
• leaping
• peeping
• reaping
• seeping
• sleeping
• steeping
• sweeping
• weeping
• beekeeping

Kids Definition

keeping

noun

keep·​ing

ˈkē-piŋ

1

: watchful attention : care

2

: a proper or fitting relationship : harmony

in keeping with good taste