Synonyms of withhold

withhold 1 of 2

verb (1)

with-ˈhōld 

1

as in to refuse

to be unwilling to grant

must withhold official approval until all the proper forms have been submitted

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuse
• deny
• reject
• decline
• disallow
• disapprove
• forbid
• negative
• prohibit
• restrict
• veto
• keep
• enjoin
• proscribe
• nix
• restrain
• reprobate
• ban
• hold
• check
• spurn
• repel
• constrain
• repress
• hinder
• impede
• obstruct
• curb
• rebuff
• balk (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• permit
• let
• provide
• allow
• grant
• give
• furnish
• afford
• concede
• supply
• okay
• authorize
• OK
• license
• warrant
• agree (to)
• acquiesce
• commission
• consent (to)
• accede (to)
• sanction
• assent (to)
• licence
• accord
• vouchsafe

2

as in to retain

to continue to have in one's possession or power

withhold some money for your own expenses

Synonyms & Similar Words

• retain
• keep
• hold
• preserve
• possess
• save
• reserve
• have
• protect
• conserve
• hold on to
• enjoy
• guard
• hang on to
• own
• manage
• control
• boast
• direct
• rule
• detain
• cherish
• treasure
• command
• cling (to)
• hug
• harbor
• bear

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• yield
• relinquish
• release
• give
• surrender
• abandon
• give up
• contribute
• drop
• donate
• reject
• discard
• cede
• dump
• hand over
• lose
• decline
• repudiate
• hand out
• spurn

withhold (from)

2 of 2

verb (2)

as in to keep (from)

to resist the temptation of

please see if you can withhold from criticizing every little thing she says

Synonyms & Similar Words

• keep (from)
• avoid
• refrain (from)
• abstain (from)
• forego
• forgo
• deny
• forbear
• refuse
• abjure
• shun
• curb
• check
• inhibit
• constrain
• eschew
• reject
• combat
• repudiate
• fight
• buck

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• submit (to)
• yield (to)
• surrender (to)
• bow (to)
• succumb (to)
• give in (to)
• concede (to)
• acquiesce (to)
• capitulate
• knuckle under (to)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of withhold

Verb

The department had requested the material after President Donald Trump called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to do more to assuage public outcry about the DOJ's initial decision last month to withhold any further information about Epstein's case. —Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025

In total, his companies failed to pay more than $2.5 million in payroll taxes, with over $1.7 million of that from employee withholding taxes. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Trump threatened to withhold support for any lawmaker who voted against the clawback of funding. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2025

Attorneys for the plaintiffs also argued that Tesla had withheld important data from the crash that their own forensic expert later found. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025

Phrases Containing withhold

• withhold (from)