1
as in denies
to be unwilling to grant
must withhold official approval until all the proper forms have been submitted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in retains
to continue to have in one's possession or power
withhold some money for your own expenses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of withholds
In some cases, benefit offsets (where the VA withholds part of your monthly benefit to repay a debt) can be adjusted to reduce the financial strain.
—
Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
The episode withholds the information that the incoming stew is Ellie, notoriously explosive, competitive, and a poor receiver of feedback, until the very end.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Silence reclaimed Once silenced by the Islamic Republic, Googoosh now voluntarily withholds her voice in solidarity.
—Richard Nedjat-Haiem, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
Either chamber of Congress can hold someone in contempt on criminal or civil charges with a simple majority vote if that person refuses to testify, withholds information, or obstructs a congressional inquiry, according to the American Bar Association.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 21 Dec. 2025
The lawsuit claims Uber misclassifies drivers as independent contractors to avoid accountability and withholds rider risk data.
—Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Sep. 2025
While parents were fulfilling back-to-school shopping and educators were equipping classrooms with supplies out of their own pockets, the state that withholds money from CPS was holding a hearing to find out why the district is in financial trouble.
—Stacy Davis Gates, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
The last time Berkshire requested confidentiality treatment—which withholds information from the public and allows institutional investors to build positions without tipping off the market and triggering copycat trades—was in late 2023.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
Cai, who co-wrote the script with Han Nianjin, lays the sauce on thick from the get-go, but also withholds lots of key information about Meiyun and Baoshu’s mysterious connection.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
The episode withholds the information that the incoming stew is Ellie, notoriously explosive, competitive, and a poor receiver of feedback, until the very end.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Silence reclaimed Once silenced by the Islamic Republic, Googoosh now voluntarily withholds her voice in solidarity.
—Richard Nedjat-Haiem, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
Either chamber of Congress can hold someone in contempt on criminal or civil charges with a simple majority vote if that person refuses to testify, withholds information, or obstructs a congressional inquiry, according to the American Bar Association.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 21 Dec. 2025
The lawsuit claims Uber misclassifies drivers as independent contractors to avoid accountability and withholds rider risk data.
—Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Sep. 2025
While parents were fulfilling back-to-school shopping and educators were equipping classrooms with supplies out of their own pockets, the state that withholds money from CPS was holding a hearing to find out why the district is in financial trouble.
—Stacy Davis Gates, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
The last time Berkshire requested confidentiality treatment—which withholds information from the public and allows institutional investors to build positions without tipping off the market and triggering copycat trades—was in late 2023.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
Cai, who co-wrote the script with Han Nianjin, lays the sauce on thick from the get-go, but also withholds lots of key information about Meiyun and Baoshu’s mysterious connection.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholds
Verb
-
Trader Joe's denies the suit's allegations and any wrongdoing, but agreed to settle the case to avoid further litigation.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Hernandez denies the accusations.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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More affluent households are probably stuck paying for tax prep, at least as long as the tax code retains anything like its current complexity.—
Binyamin Appelbaum,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Despite nationwide polls showing eroding support, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán retains strong backing in rural communities and among older Hungarians, who credit him with representing their interests and maintaining national pride.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And Avery refuses to let that happen.—
Ryan Wilusz,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
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But the porch light, with only one working bulb, refuses to show us the perfect curves of her aloneness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The stopout population keeps growing overall, even as annual stopouts have declined and reenrollment has increased, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
That number keeps Hong Kong at the top of the world’s IPO league tables, building on last year’s stellar performance of $35 billion raised over more than 100 new listings.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Against a backdrop of tennis courts, luxury hotels, and colonial privilege, simmering tensions erupt as Lan’s brother Tran rejects his wealthy family’s collaboration with the French to join Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary cause, setting off an assassination that changes everything.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
15 Apr. 2026
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Miami summarily rejects anything resembling tanking because of a long-standing organizational philosophy that isn’t going to be revisited.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Another girl, Donna Jo, apparently naked on a back-yard lawn, holds several small, round pieces of fruit, still on their leafy branch, clasped to her chest like a trophy.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
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The Indian government’s chief economic adviser expressed confidence Friday that the world’s sixth-largest economy can weather the energy-price shock caused by the Iran war if the ceasefire holds.—
Chris Wellisz,
semafor.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the number of living survivors declines, organizers say the responsibility to preserve these stories is shifting.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Roughly 5% of WLFI’s supply is now collateral on Dolomite, so if WLFI declines significantly in value, the collateral could be liquidated, Vaiman said.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wheatley has always had a decent handle on atmosphere, and Normal definitely possesses more of a sense of location than other pictures of its ilk.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Despite the higher passenger count, the ship is big, and possesses one of the highest space ratios per passenger at-sea–meaning there's lots of room to spread out.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Withholds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withholds. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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