keep 1 of 2

1
as in to celebrate
to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony keep the Sabbath by not working

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

6
7
8

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 future of Aerosmith is extremely uncertain due to Steven Tyler’s injured larynx, but that isn’t stopping guitarist Joe Perry from keeping the band’s music alive on the road. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2025 And the ongoing speculation about further tax rises in the Autumn Budget will probably keep consumers in a cautious mood. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
Commercial outlets survive by earning their keep — not by relying on subsidies that every citizen is compelled to support. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 May 2025 The office has earned its keep over the years by producing detailed, unbiased analyses of the cost and performance of major weapons systems like the F-35 combat aircraft. William Hartung, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Verb
  • The Duchess of Sussex celebrated the drop on her Instagram Stories prior to sharing the details of her birthday celebration.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Oliver, Merriweather, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings and others will celebrate 20 years of Pat’s Place at a private party this week.
    Ryan Oehrli August 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The company helps organizations recruit and retain board-level, C-suite, and senior executive talent.
    David Trainer, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The ownership of the tree would be shared between the neighbors, and both homeowners retain the right to trim or prune parts of the tree that hang over their property.
    Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Elon Musk gives update on Mars plan Musk, who founded SpaceX in 2002, has aggressively sought for his commercial spaceflight company to develop its Starship spacecraft to fulfill his ambitious dream of sending the first humans to Mars.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
  • President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to remove millions of migrants without legal status to fulfill his campaign pledge of mass deportations.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • When stored properly, an uncut head of cabbage can last up to two months in the fridge.
    Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The stackable design also makes the stools easy to store away or move around.
    Christopher Murray may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The group has maintained a devout following of millions of fans for over 40 years, and their most recent album, The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s 200 Albums chart back in 2022.
    Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Regardless, the new system is easier to maintain because of its inherent design.
    Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Uber's operational model prioritizes rapid market entry with standardized processes that can be quickly deployed across new cities, often learning and adapting on the fly while managing the complexity of hundreds of simultaneous markets.
    Tima Bansal, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • That newest edition of the game emphasizes fun over following the rules to a T, and actual play is a great demonstration of how that looks at a game night, said Justice Arman, managing game designer of Dungeons & Dragons.
    Scott Greenstone, NPR, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Putin seemed to control the appearance of the proceedings in front of the press.
    Nik Popli, Time, 16 Aug. 2025
  • Tension in the nation's capital escalated Friday over the question of who controls the city's metropolitan police department after Washington D.C.'s Attorney General filed a federal lawsuit challenging the White House's bid for full control.
    Brian Mann, NPR, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The archipelago, protected as a national park, hums with quiet life—salt flats blush rose in the heat, and mangroves cradle herons in leafy stillness.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • That case ultimately led to Congress’ passage in 1980 of the Privacy Protection Act, which protects journalists in such cases.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 7 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on keep

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!