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 Megan James, 33, who at the time was Siira’s fellow caregiver, was also arrested and charged with her murder and related felonies, the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office first reported in June 2024 while withholding Siira’s name as the victim. — Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026 The consignment came at a dire time for the gallery, which has faced multiple lawsuits in recent years, including one filed by artist Jeffrey Gibson, alleging the gallery was withholding hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales proceeds. — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Oct. 2026 The Trib is withholding Nick’s full name to avoid marring his reputation in the eyes of future employers or others who might run a search on him. — Kate Payne, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026 The goal is not to manufacture dependency by withholding information people need to do their jobs; that would simply create bureaucracy. — Samuel Rodrigues, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026 The federal government had also been squeezing the region economically, by withholding funds needed to pay Tigray’s civil servants and limiting access to banks and fuel, according to the TPLF. — Alemayehu Fentaw Weldemariam, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026 Italian magistrates accused Egyptian authorities of withholding key information requested through international legal channels, an allegation Cairo rejected. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026 Oceanside is withholding the exact location where the fossils were found due to public safety concerns and to preserve the site’s integrity. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026 Other outlets, like the New York Times, have protested the ban in other ways, like withholding their use of images from the White House. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholding

Verb

Russian forces are also trying to choke shipping in Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, denying Kyiv vital grain export revenue.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
There’s no denying that Nothing knows how to make eye-catching headphones.

— Brad Bourque, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of denying

Verb

Related Stories The shows see Reinvent Yellow, one year after the merger of Yellow Film Studios and REinvent, keeping premium Nordic shows at its core while gradually expanding into English-language titles.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Soleil’s Shimmering Body Oil, bridging makeup and fragrance, is the brand’s top-selling stock-keeping unit in specialty/multi doors.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of keeping

Verb

While retaining the distinctive tabi construction of its archival reference, the collaborative series introduces thicker bases and more substantial proportions to create a new expression.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Kapoor will lead the creative direction, with Balaji retaining the underlying IP while tapping YouTube’s global distribution and advertising business — a savvy expansion that doesn’t involve surrendering ownership of her stories.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of retaining

Verb

This may involve rejecting a command, removing write access, isolating the AI, transferring control back to the operator or moving equipment into a safe state.

— Gregory Shahnovsky, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
The sense was that the people who were rejecting the Keynesian model were throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

— Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of rejecting

Verb

Only its convenient foods division in Europe, the Middle East and Africa reported declining volume, of 1%.

— Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Since the 1960s, bowling as a business has fallen, with the number of bowling centers in the United States declining by roughly 75% from a peak of about 12,000 to some 3,000.

— Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of declining

Verb

The Bruins forced seven turnovers and stopped Oregon’s late two-point try at the one-yard line, preserving a signature victory that strengthened UCLA’s playoff case.

— Elias Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc has introduced rules aimed at limiting disruptive photography and preserving privacy at the property.

— Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026