1
as in denying
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 keeping
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
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 withholding
The practice allows home-state senators to block nominees from their state by withholding approval — a power Trump has likened to the Senate filibuster and urged Republicans to abolish.
—
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
Tran was arrested and charged in November 2023 on a 28-count federal indictment for fraudulently collecting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits while also withholding rental and consulting income from his tax returns in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
The senior official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss internal strategy, added that the White House is considering joint military exercises, withholding participation in NATO, and additional tariffs.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request seeking comment, but a top Maine Republican said withholding the undercover plates would jeopardize public safety.
—Patrick Whittle, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Her order barred the administration from taking any action while the lawsuit is pending, including withholding money for the first quarter of 2026, which Rollins said last Friday would no longer be distributed.
—Sophie Brams, The Hill, 17 Jan. 2026
Both penalties — withholding wages and federal payments — are being paused, according to the Friday announcement.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
James said the administration has not provided evidence of fraud or misuse of child care funding in New York, while ignoring the standard processes for withholding such funds.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
In November 2025, a federal judge temporarily barred the government from withholding funding from the University of California.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
Tran was arrested and charged in November 2023 on a 28-count federal indictment for fraudulently collecting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits while also withholding rental and consulting income from his tax returns in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
The senior official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss internal strategy, added that the White House is considering joint military exercises, withholding participation in NATO, and additional tariffs.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request seeking comment, but a top Maine Republican said withholding the undercover plates would jeopardize public safety.
—Patrick Whittle, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Her order barred the administration from taking any action while the lawsuit is pending, including withholding money for the first quarter of 2026, which Rollins said last Friday would no longer be distributed.
—Sophie Brams, The Hill, 17 Jan. 2026
Both penalties — withholding wages and federal payments — are being paused, according to the Friday announcement.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
James said the administration has not provided evidence of fraud or misuse of child care funding in New York, while ignoring the standard processes for withholding such funds.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
In November 2025, a federal judge temporarily barred the government from withholding funding from the University of California.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholding
Verb
-
Brown says denying asylees due process is unconstitutional.—
Anna Alejo,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The most common complaints include denying legitimate claims, partnering with inexperienced and unqualified service providers, poor service, and slow response times.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The ongoing war in Ukraine is keeping most Russian athletes out of the competition.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
There are also organisations such as the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation, which does so much good in keeping the memory alive and raising money to support good causes both in Manchester and Munich.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Most of the time, a child who is shoving at the playground or refusing to take turns with the blocks at daycare is just testing the boundaries of acceptable behavior.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The Clintons agreed to testify later this month after initially refusing and facing a potential contempt vote.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Avoid plastic wrap or zip-top bags, and instead wrap your cheese in parchment paper, wax paper, beeswax wraps, or cheese paper, giving it a chance to breathe while retaining its moisture.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Still, others reiterated the need for retaining students’ sense of security and acceptance.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Our family photographs depicted us in beauty, power and wholeness, rejecting every image that attempted to relegate us to a stereotype.—
Anya Sesay,
jsonline.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Then last week, the agency published on its website the complete response letter detailing the FDA’s reasons for rejecting the drug.—
Adam Feuerstein,
STAT,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As part of a plea deal, Nail had to resign and pay fines, and he was barred from holding office while on probation.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Today’s charges target a major producer behind the Chapitos’ supply chain and underscore the commitment of the women and men of our Office to holding traffickers at all levels of the production and distribution chain accountable.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
According to the Iowa Cancer Registry, lung cancer incidence rates are declining slower in Iowa than in other states.—
Cami Koons,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Measles-vaccination rates have been steadily declining for several years; since last January, the country has logged its two largest measles epidemics in more than three decades.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Additional commitments include maintaining HBO as an independent operation, ensuring every film receives a full theatrical release with a minimum 45-day global window before paid video-on-demand availability, and preserving the home video window following theatrical runs.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Lamont now wants to reduce the new tax hike from $375 million to $100 million while preserving the plan passed last year to boost payments to hospitals by $140 million annually, netting the hospitals a collective $40 million a year.—
Katy Golvala,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Withholding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withholding. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
