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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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 Blanche is also confronting growing distrust of the Justice Department among judges, who in multiple cases have accused government lawyers of withholding information or misleading courts. — Alanna Durkin Richer, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 In December 2019, the House impeached Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate then-former Vice President Joe Biden while withholding military aid. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2026 Clinton deployed the threat of withholding billions in aid to nix the Hanke plan, and a weak rupiah hastened Suharto’s departure months later. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026 Shares dipped 7% in after-hours trading due to the company withholding its 2027 outlook. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2026 To protect itself from Chinese blackmail, Europe could leverage its Airbus sales by withholding software updates for China’s Airbus fleet, which would ground more than half the country’s commercial planes. — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 The cities and counties argue that withholding the anti-terrorism funding has nothing to do with election administration. — Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 The order prohibits anyone from withholding or obstructing necessary treatment or removing, discharging or transferring the child while the case is pending. — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026 On Tuesday, Wyandotte County District Court Judge Courtney Mikesic found that LivaNova violated Kansas law by withholding the documents during the discovery process and granted the plaintiffs’ request for sanctions against the medtech company. — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholding

Verb

The first case was settled out of court, with the artist denying allegations and claiming fair use through her legal representative.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
The drone in question was powered by a Nvidia minicomputer not sold in Russia but available through resale markets, highlighting the difficulties in denying tech to US adversaries.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of denying

Verb

The show is leaning into its strengths, dialing up the madcap comedy and overlapping dialogue while keeping the story lines rooted in recognizable rites of passage for young people.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
The approach could provide a more repeatable way to adapt navigation systems across different robots and environments, while keeping human oversight for important development and safety decisions.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of keeping

Verb

Now a new report on the fallout from the investigation into that flyover is rattling the Defense Department and could lead to further delay in replacing the Army leader ousted for refusing to kill the probe.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
After slowly changing the theatrical underworld as the king of midnight movies, Curry spent the rest of his acting career gleefully refusing to be pinned down.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of refusing

Verb

More concerning memory problems may involve difficulty retaining new information in the first place, like repeatedly asking a question without remembering the answer.

— Danielle Zickl, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026
Goldman found Koreans in their sixties save more than any other age group, retaining 37% of their income.

— Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of retaining

Verb

Brown’s ability to hammer Husted on this issue is alarming Republican operatives, who see a Husted victory as crucial to holding a majority in the Senate.

— Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
The Ross Fire burning west of Fort Worth in Palo Pinto County appears to be holding steady at around 85,000 acres and 26% containment Friday, according to Texas A&M Forest Service officials.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of holding

Verb

In another study published this year, researchers used a DMPU/ethylene glycol-potassium hydroxide system to completely convert PET in polyester/cotton blends at 70 degrees Celsius in 30 minutes, recovering TPA while preserving the cotton component.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Roku offers a considerably larger distribution platform while also preserving the free-access strategy the league pursued with Victory+.

— Asli Pelit, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026