withhold

[ with-hohld, with- ]

verb (used with object)

, with·held, with·hold·ing.

1. to hold back; restrain or check.

   Synonyms: repress, suppress

   Antonyms: advance

2. to refrain from giving or granting:

   to withhold payment.

   Synonyms: repress, suppress

   Antonyms: advance

3. to collect (taxes) at the source of income.
4. to deduct (withholding tax) from an employee's salary or wages.

verb (used without object)

, with·held, with·hold·ing.

1. to hold back; refrain.
2. to deduct withholding tax.

withhold

/ wɪðˈhəʊld /

verb

1. tr to keep back; refrain from giving

   he withheld his permission

2. tr to hold back; restrain
3. tr to deduct (taxes, etc) from a salary or wages
4. intrusually foll byfrom to refrain or forbear

Derived Forms

• withˈholder, noun

Other Words From

• with·holder noun
• unwith·held adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of withhold¹

First recorded in 1150–1200, withhold is from the Middle English word withholden. See with-, hold ¹

Synonym Study

See keep.

Example Sentences

He has, after all, explicitly threatened to withhold aid from any governor who tries to resist his plans.

From Salon

Trump has long promised to withhold disaster funding if a state’s leaders don’t align with his policies.

From Los Angeles Times

Asked about Trump’s threats to take aim at California, arguably the beating heart of anti-Trump resistance, Schiff vowed “to defend our state and our democracy and stand up to any efforts to punish California or withhold resources from California, or to diminish people’s rights and freedom.”

From Los Angeles Times

The governor’s proclamation for the largely symbolic special session says his administration anticipates that Trump could seek to limit access to abortion medication, pursue a national abortion ban, dismantle environmental protections, repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and withhold federal disaster response funding, among other promises he made during the campaign.

From Los Angeles Times

And he threatened to withhold federal firefighting aid for California unless “Newscum” agreed to “sign those papers” — an apparent reference to water policy, although he did not specify which papers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• conceal
• deduct
• deny
• detain
• hide
• keep
• refuse
• resist
• retain
• suppress