kept

kept — verb

1. the form of the verb 'keep' that shows something happened in the past.

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

the form of the verb 'keep' that shows something happened in the past.

Example

Élise kept a photo of her family on her desk at work.

kept + noun phrase (simple past)

The children kept very still while their mother took the picture.

kept + adjective complement

Common collocations
  • kept quiet
  • kept safe
  • kept a record
  • kept a promise
  • kept in touch
Synonyms
  • maintained

    more formal; focuses on preserving a condition or standard rather than simply continuing an action

  • held

    suggests physical possession or control but does not imply ongoing care or continuation

  • stored

    specifically about putting something away safely for future use, narrower than 'kept'

Antonyms
  • released

    implies letting go of physical possession or control

  • discarded

    suggests intentionally getting rid of something, opposite of keeping

Grammar Patterns

kept + noun phrase

kept + adjective

kept + verb-ing

had/have + kept + past participle form in perfect tenses

be + kept + past participle in passive voice

Usage Note

Frequently used in both simple past and past participle constructions. As a past participle, it appears with 'have', 'has', or 'had' to form perfect tenses, and with 'be' to form passive structures. The adjective complement pattern ('kept + adjective') is very common.

Common Mistakes

I keeped the door open all day.
I kept the door open all day.
'keep' is irregular; the past form is 'kept', not 'keeped'.
She has keep the receipt for three years.
She has kept the receipt for three years.
the past participle of 'keep' is 'kept', not 'keep'.

kept — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three describe a situation in which one person relies on another for financial or material needs, but the connotations differ sharply. 'Dependent' is the broadest term, covering any situation — children, elderly parents, or a non-working spouse — without the romantic or judgmental overtone of 'kept'. 'Supported' is factual and neutral, often used in legal or financial contexts ('a supported spouse') and carries no built-in disapproval. 'Maintained' sounds formal and somewhat outdated when applied to people; it is now mostly used for equipment, systems, or buildings. When describing someone in a romantic arrangement where money is exchanged for companionship, only 'kept' suggests a critical or old-fashioned moral judgment. For example, saying 'she is a kept woman' implies a societal reproach, while 'she is financially dependent on her partner' is a neutral observation of fact.

dependent ↗supportedmaintained

Common collocations

Nouns

  • kept promise
  • kept record
  • kept diary
  • kept secret

Adverbs

  • carefully kept
  • well kept
  • badly kept
  • secretly kept

Phrases

  • kept in mind
  • kept at bay
  • kept under control
  • kept to oneself

Prepositions

  • kept in
  • kept from
  • kept by
  • kept under

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

'Kept' is the irregular past-tense and past-participle form of the verb 'keep', which entered English from Old English 'cēpan' (to seize, to hold, to observe). The original sense was about physically grasping or laying hold of something. Over time its meaning broadened to include guarding, maintaining, and continuing an action or state. The adjective use — a person financially supported by a romantic partner — emerged in the 1800s and reflects a metaphorical extension of 'keeping' someone (i.e., providing for their needs in exchange for loyalty or companionship).