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 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 Liberty Justice Center is suing CTU on behalf of four members for allegedly withholding the financial documents since 2019. — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 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 The order prevents anyone from withholding or obstructing necessary treatment or removing, discharging, or transferring the child while the court considers the case. — Briseida Holguin, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholding

Verb

The former general counsel settled for a $37,500 civil penalty without admitting or denying the allegations.

— Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
His family publicly accused the workers' compensation system of delaying and denying needed care.

— Ginger Allen, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of denying

Verb

Hairstylist Justine Marjan also suggests keeping curly-coily hair slightly wet with water to help with detangling and pulling it back with a wide-tooth comb.

— Marci Robin, Allure, 21 Aug. 2026
Beijing is a source of crucial economic support for Iran but has walked a cautious diplomatic line amid the US-Iran war, keeping communications open with players on both sides.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of keeping

Verb

Wars cannot be fought on ideology alone – a truism that perhaps led to the firebrand former defense minister’s departure, after months of clashes and refusing to deal with the army top brass, as Zelensky describes it.

— Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Larkin, whose grassroots campaign made national headlines in recent weeks, often criticized Moskowitz for refusing to debate him or participate in joint interviews with local news organizations.

— Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of refusing

Verb

The issue has split circuit courts, with the 9th Circuit (which Idaho is part of) and six other circuit courts rejecting the administration’s position.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 20 Aug. 2026
These critiques assume that people rejecting vaccines have access to good information about them, but that’s not always the case, Marnik said.

— Felice J. Freyer, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of rejecting

Verb

This finding, the authors said, suggested soft tissue was still holding the skeleton in place.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
The Austrian has played an active role in recruitment, holding near-daily conversations with George Syrianos, the club’s influential chief football officer.

— Paul Taylor, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of holding

Verb

The Swift Observatory has been observing the cosmos for more than two-decades, but its rapidly declining orbit has put it in jeopardy of reentering Earth's atmosphere and burning up.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
In addition, authorities criticized John and Patsy for declining formal police interviews for several months.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of declining

Verb

The Living New Deal -- a nonprofit and non-partisan organization dedicated to preserving the history of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's series of economic, social and political reforms -- is raising concerns about the race.

— Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
The state should lead the next chapter of hemp policy by encouraging federal lawmakers to strengthen national standards while preserving successful state regulatory systems, particularly the one Connecticut has already demonstrated can work.

— John R. Gordon, Hartford Courant, 19 Aug. 2026