withhold
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
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(tr) to keep back; refrain from giving
he withheld his permission
-
(tr) to hold back; restrain
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(tr) to deduct (taxes, etc) from a salary or wages
-
to refrain or forbear
Related Words
See keep.
Other Word Forms
- unwithheld adjective
- withholder noun
Etymology
Origin of withhold
First recorded in 1150–1200, withhold is from the Middle English word withholden. See with-, hold 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He got a call from a withheld number while watching TV and having a glass of wine with his wife.
From BBC
The staffer attached amended search results, but Missouri officials withheld the attachment from its response to a public records request and did not respond to a question about how many corrections were made.
From Salon
The legislation allowed the justice department to withhold certain files to secure active investigations or prosecutions, and to protect the identities of victims.
From BBC
A US judge granted him a status called "withholding of removal" last year, he said, because it was likely he "would face the same situation" if he were sent home.
From Barron's
Under the law, the Justice Department can withhold files if they are duplicates; fall under attorney-client privilege; could hurt a continuing investigation or are completely unrelated to the Epstein and Maxwell cases.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
