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 of keeping

• 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

Strong governance, transparency, and meticulous record-keeping are crucial for maintaining tax-exempt status and ensuring the collection's long-term stewardship. — Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

More to Explore Another example of such non-state record keeping and memorialization is the Bosnian Book of the Dead, a database listing the names of over 95,000 victims of the 1992–1995 conflict in the former Yugoslavia. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Aug. 2026

Khan said the company has since given their franchise partners training on record-keeping and hired another accountant based in Minneapolis. — Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 30 July 2026

Removal is usually requested when heirs claim there have been long delays, poor communication, bad record-keeping, conflicts of interest, failure to follow court orders, or other actions that could harm the estate. — Naomi Cahn, The Conversation, 29 July 2026

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
• keeping the peace
• out of keeping with
• record-keeping
• standing/keeping guard
• 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