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 The governing lottery body automatically withholds 24% of the prize, leaving the balance to be paid by the winner. — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholds

Verb

Miller denies that and says the gun fell from his sweatshirt pocket and got hit in the commotion.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2026
Communication with officials The letter denies the three friends at any point lied to authorities about Wells’ disappearance.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of denies

Verb

With the upgrade, Apple retains the size of the M4 Mac mini but packs a new M6 processor to deliver four times better AI performance, two times faster storage and graphics, and 40% better CPU performance, the company says.

— Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026
But get past the hype, and what follows is a good example of how to conduct deeply personal journalistic work that retains both a level of compassion and criticism.

— Becca James, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of retains

Verb

In the event that Bally’s refuses to respond with full candor and information, the City Council may need to consider options up to and including suspending the Bally’s license.

— Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
The channel, which is banned inside Iran, refuses to disclose its private donors.

— Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of refuses

Verb

Clear communication keeps collaboration useful without draining the spark.

— Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026
However, the narrow chassis keeps it manageable for shorter riders, while the compact riding position gives it a more substantial feel than its 155cc engine might suggest.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of keeps

Verb

So when Alex rejects the author of a romantasy novel entitled The Goblin Seed that turns out to be a bestseller, all hell breaks loose.

— Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 24 Aug. 2026
Manjari Sihare-Sutin, who heads Sotheby’s South Asian Modern and Contemporary department, said her team rejects an average of two works ahead of every sale because of authenticity concerns.

— Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of rejects

Verb

San Bruno’s 1-million-cubic-foot facility alone holds more than 750,000 immigration case files, many of which document Asian American and Pacific Islander history on the West Coast.

— Stephanie Lam, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026
Ivan’s room feels practically airless, his face obscured in shadows, or captured in hazy side profiles, as Anica’s bright, concerned gaze holds the frame’s focus.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026