keep 1 of 2

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

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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
County officials announced new lease terms on June 26, with both Bengals and county officials praising the deal that will keep the Bengals in Cincinnati in exchange for stadium renovations. Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 9 July 2025 But there are still lingering worries about how long Amazon and Apple will keep movies in theaters before sending them to streaming. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2025
Noun
The Pacers are lucky to be that close considering the keep giving the ball away. Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 6 June 2025 So keep your piehole shut and go out and play football and earn your keep and earn your respect. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Verb
  • What better way to celebrate the holiday than with a local fireworks show? With Independence Day falling on a Friday this year, many towns in the state have their shows set for the coming long weekend.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025
  • With Apple Music Studios unveiled, Apple Music also announced special programming for this week to celebrate 10 years of service.
    Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Cops don't have to disclose when AI is used in every department, and Draft One does not save drafts or retain a record showing which parts of reports are AI-generated.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2025
  • Schools have used the money to recruit and retain educators during the state’s ongoing teacher shortage.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., first sent a letter to Schill to testify in April, accusing Northwestern of failing to fulfill its commitment to protect Jewish students.
    Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
  • Many hotels in the city are required to have clean-air transportation as part of their development agreement, which ATN fulfills.
    Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • However, storing and releasing energy day after day causes inevitable wear and tear.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 11 July 2025
  • This automatic feeder is specifically designed to store and schedule wet-food meals using what's essentially a mini-fridge.
    Molly Higgins, Wired News, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • One of the main reasons people lie—especially women—is to maintain cohesion in important relationships.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 9 July 2025
  • The pilot struggled to maintain the plane on a heading and climb, a preliminary report said.
    Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Australia’s oldest operating planetarium is the Melbourne Planetarium, managed by Museums Victoria since 1965.
    Martin Bush, Space.com, 5 July 2025
  • His podcast with son and managing partner and pollster Jeremy Zogby can be heard here.
    Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT Updated July 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2025
  • Since 1980, for instance, neither party has controlled the Senate for more than eight consecutive years; never has the Senate changed hands so often over such a long period.
    Ronald Brownstein, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Today the act protects more than 2,300 plant and animal species in the US and abroad.
    Christine Peterson, Wired News, 5 July 2025
  • The show, based on a novella by the author Martha Wells, follows a snarky private-security cyborg (played by Alexander Skarsgård) assigned to protect a group of scientists investigating a mostly uncharted planet.
    Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 5 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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