1
as in denies
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
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
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
Yet Netflix still withholds crucial details about who receives this data, how identities are stitched and enriched, and how household-level projections power its ad-targeting reach.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 11 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
Either chamber of Congress can hold someone in contempt on criminal or civil charges with a simple majority vote if that person refuses to testify, withholds information, or obstructs a congressional inquiry, according to the American Bar Association.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 21 Dec. 2025
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
Yet Netflix still withholds crucial details about who receives this data, how identities are stitched and enriched, and how household-level projections power its ad-targeting reach.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 11 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
Either chamber of Congress can hold someone in contempt on criminal or civil charges with a simple majority vote if that person refuses to testify, withholds information, or obstructs a congressional inquiry, according to the American Bar Association.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 21 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholds
Verb
-
Bruel denies all the allegations made against him.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2026
-
At the end of each year, TEA approves or denies all teachers recommended to them by a school district.—
Samuel O’Neal
June 9,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
But if that data still retains commercial, legal or reputational value even when cryptographic protection fails, the exposure has already occurred.—
Maman Ibrahim,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
The new executive order retains the voluntary nature of AI developers reporting potential safety risks.—
Anjana Susarla,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Walk away from any firm that promises full removal of true and lawful content, offers to buy fake reviews, refuses to disclose its methods, demands long lock-in contracts without performance terms, or cannot point to verifiable third-party recognition.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
-
But Ruth refuses to go quietly into the dark-and-stormy night.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Pace’s pass-rush potential keeps him in the fold, but Flores prefers not to play him on passing downs.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
The microbe lives under the eyelid and keeps producing the anti-inflammatory protein over time.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Building Sugarwater also reflects Carrie’s broader ethos, one that rejects a scarcity mindset and instead embraces collaboration and connectivity.—
Britt Julious,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
-
There’s already wide agreement within the denomination that its belief statement — the Baptist Faith and Message — rejects the appointment of women as senior pastors who lead churches.—
Peter Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Lead drama actor holds essentially steady at 78, nearly matching last year’s 77, when 134 names crowded the ballot.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
That’s down to the 3D model producing a little less warming for a brighter Sun, the expectation that CO2 declines more slowly over time, and a slight expansion of the CO2 range believed to be survivable by plants.—
Scott K. Johnson,
ArsTechnica,
15 June 2026
-
Scientists found that a protein called NOX4 naturally declines with age and inactivity.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Neither Nuuk nor Iqaluit possesses the economic or military heft to secure the top of the world alone.—
Barry Scott Zellen,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
-
Long Beach possesses a coastal identity.—
Tim Genske,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Withholds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/withholds. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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