WITHHOLDS Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

withholds

verb

present tense third-person singular of withhold

as in denies

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 retains

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 withholds Iqbal, a migrant Muslim man, drifts through a city that withholds its welcome. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 June 2026 Trump has made clear his disdain for NATO, his affection for Putin, gushes over autocrats, and withholds military support for Ukraine. — Arthur House, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2026 For a pivotal scene in which Marji publicly contradicts her teacher’s claim about political prisoners, Satrapi withholds background detail entirely, save for a whisper of trees outside a window. — Hillary Chute, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026 Refusal renames the finding, files it under welfare, trains the behavior down, passes laws foreclosing the question before anyone asks it in court, withholds broadband funding from states that try to answer it, and publishes declarations insisting the answer is already settled. — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 The state withholds a portion of Harvey’s revenue because of the city’s past failure to adequately fund its police and fire pension funds. — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 In some cases, benefit offsets (where the VA withholds part of your monthly benefit to repay a debt) can be adjusted to reduce the financial strain. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026 The episode withholds the information that the incoming stew is Ellie, notoriously explosive, competitive, and a poor receiver of feedback, until the very end. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026 Silence reclaimed Once silenced by the Islamic Republic, Googoosh now voluntarily withholds her voice in solidarity. — Richard Nedjat-Haiem, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholds

Verb

And a Ukrainian intelligence officer who initially confessed to killing her, according to prosecutors, but now denies it.

— Alexander Smith, NBC news, 11 July 2026
Abby Wambach scores a thrilling goal to tie it in the 122nd minute, and goalkeeper Hope Solo denies the Brazilians again.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of denies

Verb

Together, these technologies are designed to ensure that Iran retains at least part of its ballistic missile force even after a large-scale attack.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
Even its bridal jewelry retains an element of discretion, including a small gold heart concealed inside certain bands and positioned close to the wearer.

— Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 14 July 2026

Definition of retains

Verb

Each time the topic comes up, Jones flatly refuses to consider curtains.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
If Paramount refuses, Bonta said the coalition would seek a temporary restraining order asking a judge to hold up the merger, a move that would cause costly delays and escalate legal expenses for Paramount.

— Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026

Definition of refuses

Verb

Investing in our students and young professionals keeps homegrown talent in our state, creating positive educational and career outcomes, and driving our local economy.

— Sivan Hines, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
The state law enacted in 2021, generally keeps records from those investigations confidential.

— Ben Wheeler July 9, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026

Definition of keeps

Verb

DeVoto persuades an editor at Houghton Mifflin to offer them a contract; when Houghton Mifflin eventually rejects the manuscript, DeVoto gets Knopf interested.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
Israel rejects that position, saying the West Bank is disputed territory where there has been a Jewish presence for thousands of years.

— Rami Ayyub, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Definition of rejects

Verb

Car registrations and titles can now be issued electronically, and some DMV documentation will be sent via email, unless the driver declines to provide an address.

— Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026
As Medicaid coverage declines, more people become uninsured or underinsured.

— Sas Mukherjee, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026