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 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 Reiner’s attorneys argue that withholding the trust funds prevents him from using his own money to retain counsel and experts while his criminal case is pending. — Danielle Bacher, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholding

Verb

Multiple lawsuits by former players accuse the league’s disability plan of illegally denying benefits.

— Tashan Reed, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026
While there’s no denying Muse is having an impact on these names, Airbnb does look like a steal down here .

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of denying

Verb

Doing so would entail repairing cracks that admit water, maintaining the foundations of each section, applying a sealant to slow the weathering process, and keeping the encroachment of vegetation in check.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Brands are making more on paper and keeping less in the bank, squeezed from every side by rising ad costs, tariffs and overhead.

— David Born, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of keeping

Verb

The key is to allocate capital according to where care is moving, while retaining sufficient capacity for complex and emergency cases.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
City leaders have also pointed to the city’s high housing costs and difficulty retaining middle-income workers and families.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of retaining

Verb

Kim Yo Jong issued a statement Friday rejecting Seoul’s demand for an apology.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
David Peck, Pourharton’s attorney, told the Town Plan and Zoning Commission that his client’s business has created no reason for rejecting the request, noting that GG hasn’t been the scene of arrests or police activity.

— Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of rejecting

Verb

He was put into a 20-foot-by-20-foot holding cell with at least 25 other men.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
That machine set a global benchmark in January 2025 by holding plasma heated to 100 million degrees Celsius (180 million degrees Fahrenheit) for 1,066 seconds.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of holding

Verb

Local officials and school leaders have linked the shortage of family housing to declining enrollment in the Davis Joint Unified School District, which is weighing school closures.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
And the Civilian Oversight Commission filed suit against the department in June for declining to provide certain records related to three cases of use of force the commission issued subpoenas for in February 2025.

— Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of declining

Verb

As the brand evolved, this team transitioned into a dedicated bag restoration and maintenance atelier, preserving the longevity of each piece and keeping the warmth of handmade memory alive through patient care.

— Footwear News, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Here’s how some places around the country are changing, and how one state is succeeding in preserving its native wildlife.

— Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of preserving

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“Withholding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withholding. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of withholding

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