WITHHOLDING Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

withholding

verb

present participle of withhold

as in denying

to be unwilling to grant must withhold official approval until all the proper forms have been submitted

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in keeping

to continue to have in one's possession or power withhold some money for your own expenses

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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 Two Republican senators are withholding their support for Blanche due to the Department of Justice's deal with the president to end his IRS lawsuit. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 31 July 2026 This convinced many Americans that public health officials may have been withholding part of the truth or didn't fully grasp the complexities. — Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 At the time, lack of diversity in the organization, financial and ethical conflicts, and other issues led to an industry-wide protest, with major companies like Netflix and Amazon boycotting the group, publicists withholding talent from interviews. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 28 July 2026 Revel in withholding some information from the audience to make for even bigger payoffs. — William Earl, Variety, 27 July 2026 The suit alleges that Lilly takes the same approach when comparing the efficacy of Mounjaro and Ozempic in its ads, withholding new data on a higher dose of Novo's drug that was approved more than four years ago. — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 21 July 2026 News reports have noted that, despite a public commitment to open-source technology, China is considering withholding its most advanced models from other nations. — Aaron Glantz, Christian Science Monitor, 9 July 2026 The police department is withholding his identity until the family is notified. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026 However, the department faced criticism from some lawmakers who questioned whether the department violated the act by withholding some materials and missing the deadline to release the files. — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 2 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholding

Verb

In the early 1930s, the Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times correspondent Walter Duranty wrote stories denying the famine that Joseph Stalin’s forced-collectivization policies were causing in Ukraine and mocked journalists who reported the truth.

— James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026
Human rights groups have accused Iranian authorities of denying defendants due process, relying on coerced confessions and carrying out executions after unfair trials.

— Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of denying

Verb

Geared toward longer stays and keeping road warriors happy, the hotel offers a grab-and-go pantry, an evening happy hour with wine, beer, and light bites, and a buffet breakfast.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2026
In addition, Begnaud spent a number of years creating charcuterie boards for friends and family while keeping notes about how to turn these creations into a business someday.

— Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026

Definition of keeping

Verb

There’s something to be said for refusing to budge from your core principles of timeless design, high-quality materials and a focus on natural fibers for four decades.

— Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 29 July 2026
That brought a public outcry and boycott that led to NBC refusing to air the awards in 2022.

— Andrew Dalton, Fortune, 29 July 2026

Definition of refusing

Verb

Both aircraft use Jaunt’s Slowed-Rotor Compound configuration, which shifts more lift to the wing during forward flight to improve cruise efficiency while retaining vertical takeoff and landing capability.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Alabama, meanwhile, remains a persistent outlier, retaining the highest relative fatality burden even when normalized against population size, indicating that exposure alone does not fully account for its placement in the distribution.

— Matthew MacConnell, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of retaining

Verb

The 9th Circuit joined the 2nd, 6th, 7th, 10th, and 11th Circuits in rejecting the administration’s policy, countering the 5th and 8th Circuits, which have said the policy is lawful.

— Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 2026
North and Central America and Caribbean governing body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) later came out with statements rejecting FIFA’s proposal, but stopping short of a boycott.

— Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 30 July 2026

Definition of rejecting

Verb

After a terse exchange with one of the museum’s curators, Killmonger and his collaborators smash a case holding a weapon made from Wakanda’s vibranium before jetting off with it.

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 31 July 2026
Sacramento County Health Inspectors cited a Fair Oaks Thai restaurant after discovering several foods, including eggs and raw meat, were held out of proper holding temperatures.

— Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 31, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of holding

Verb

Wine consumption as a whole is declining, according to the French Agriculture Ministry, with the government funding permanent vineyard removal in some cases.

— Martina Di Licosa, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Some factors outside of districts’ control, such as the declining birth rate and competition with the private sector, could be contributing to this trend, according to local and state education leaders.

— Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026

Definition of declining

Verb

Bauman wrote that more than 155,000 condominium associations provide homes for millions of Americans, and preserving the safety of these communities is a responsibility that extends far beyond any single building or neighborhood.

— Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Cooper said current plans include preserving the church’s organ to become an artifact in the museum.

— Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026