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

Koen also took issue with the coalition’s financial record-keeping and said its rental assistance program is redundant to West Valley Community Services’ program. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026

The very nature of the oral tradition, which is decidedly African and characteristically unburdened by the rules of Western record-keeping, is the spirit of its truth, even more than its detail. — Anne Haley, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

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

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