as in custody
responsibility for the safety and well-being of someone or something
while she was away on business, the single mom entrusted her daughter into her in-laws' safekeeping
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Recent Examples of safekeeping
In this case, that means keeping their records in safekeeping, not handing them to some other team that doesn’t care about them.
—
Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
As an incentive for the temporary use of other people’s money, the storing merchant might add a small sum when returning the original amount given for safekeeping — interest — although major religions initially banned this.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025
Protect patio cushions When out of season, patio cushions can be stored in storage bags for safekeeping until next spring and summer.
—Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2025
An officer grabbed the man's dog for safekeeping as the suspect was taken into custody.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for safekeeping
Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
As an incentive for the temporary use of other people’s money, the storing merchant might add a small sum when returning the original amount given for safekeeping — interest — although major religions initially banned this.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025
Protect patio cushions When out of season, patio cushions can be stored in storage bags for safekeeping until next spring and summer.
—Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2025
An officer grabbed the man's dog for safekeeping as the suspect was taken into custody.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for safekeeping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for safekeeping
Noun
-
After Navarro filed a complaint alleging the work had been wrongly kept from her, a Madrid judge, acting with the support of prosecutors, ordered Spain’s Ministry of Culture to take custody of it citing its potential importance to the country’s historical heritage.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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How Talley had access to the gun after being in the custody of officers and subject to a metal-detecting search by hospital personnel remains mysterious.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And on Monday, the ship operator said two crew members — one British, one Dutch — had acute respiratory symptoms, one mild and one severe but both requiring urgent medical care.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
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The data tells us that millions of families cannot afford the cost of care.—
Franklyn Baker,
Baltimore Sun,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Safekeeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/safekeeping. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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