1
as in denies
to be unwilling to grant
must withhold official approval until all the proper forms have been submitted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in retains
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
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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
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
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Lozano denies mass immigration fraud Angelo Calfo, an attorney representing Lozano, said clients were expected to review their applications before signing and blamed them for any false statements.
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Israel, founded in the wake of the Holocaust, denies the accusations.
Verb
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Centralized high-scale manufacturing retains advantages for standardized products with stable demand, long runs and low sensitivity to distance.
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As a result, your body retains more heat, increasing the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
Verb
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Like many of the people camped outside their families’ homes in Venezuela, Mendoza refuses to believe they are gone until the last moment possible.
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The result is heat that builds, amplifies and refuses to break, often setting records on the way.
Verb
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Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place Matte Powder Foundation offers buildable coverage in a velvet-soft formula that blurs the look of pores, keeps shine in check, and never feels cakey.
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Dry, chapped lips aren’t just an issue in the winter, so this leave-on lip mask is a nourishing treatment that keeps your lips soft and supple year-round.
Verb
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The final budget agreement rejects a call by Newsom to lower the asset limit to $2,000 now and instead lowers it to $21,000 in 2027-28 to be eligible for Medi-Cal.
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Kenzie completely rejects Corbin’s because Corbin, having disrespected her, is now dead to her.
Verb
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The self-image of a predominantly Anglo civilization on the far side of the world—a distant, lucky country insulated from global conflict—no longer holds.
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Each carafe holds 35 ounces and features a narrow neck for easier pouring.
Verb
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Economists have warned that the revenue bump is potentially temporary and analysts say the growth in state spending could leave California in a challenging position if the economy declines.
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For Markiplier, the last few months have been a study in what happens when a creator with 36 million subscribers walks through Hollywood’s front door and declines to become its creature.
Verb
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Lobo As the cigar-smoking, alien, bounty hunter who teams up with Supergirl, Lobo possesses immense strength and is essentially immortal, having lived for hundreds of years.
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Willis possesses a unique ability to not just manipulate the pocket with his legs but make off-schedule throws, something that has become almost a necessity in today’s NFL.
Cite this Entry
“Withholds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withholds. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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