keep 1 of 5

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

2
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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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keep

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noun

keep (from)

3 of 5

verb (2)

keep (to)

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verb (3)

keep to

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phrase

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
Ananda Lewis Busta kept his remarks short and heartfelt, thanking his family and also taking the time to honor Ananda Lewis, the former MTV VJ who died earlier this year after being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025 McGraw, in particular, has transitioned into acting and producing, which keeps the country legacy alive. Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
But certain regimes remain tricky to simulate perfectly, such as unsteady interactions at off‑design angles, boundary‑layer transition, and inlet buzz, which is why scaled wind‑tunnel models still earn their keep validating corner cases before full‑scale testing. Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2025 Still, the chair earned its keep. Jenny Wiegand, Outside, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Noun
  • There are solutions for age verification that are both accurate and privacy preserving.
    Annie Chestnut Tutor, Boston Herald, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • If your home doesn't have hard water, then it's recommended to clean your shower head every 2 to 3 months for general maintenance and safe hygeine.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The Denver Broncos have agreed to provide Denver Water with three parcels to place the parts of its campus that housed its operations and maintenance, distribution, trades, fleet, meter shop, warehouse and a health clinic.
    Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Individual states and big cities will continue to shape their own policies to balance immigrant communities and navigate the tension between cultural assimilation and the preservation of American 'heritage'.
    Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The project was overseen by Miami architectural firm MC Harry Associates in collaboration with preservation architect Richard Heisenbottle.
    Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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