withhold

withhold — verb

1. to decide not to give or allow something that someone expects or has a right to

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to decide not to give or allow something that someone expects or has a right to receive

Example

Kemi's supervisor withheld important information from her about the project changes.

withhold + information + from + person

The school board voted to withhold funding from programs that missed the new standards.

Common collocations
  • withhold information
  • withhold funding
  • withhold permission
  • withhold the truth
  • withhold support
  • withhold a decision
Synonyms
  • keep back

    more informal; can be physical or informational ('She kept back the details')

  • deny

    stronger and more active rejection; 'deny' can also mean refusing to admit something is true

  • refuse

    broader meaning; does not necessarily imply holding back something expected

Antonyms
  • give

    straightforward opposite — to hand over or allow

  • provide

    suggests supplying something needed or expected

Grammar Patterns

withhold + noun (object) + from + noun/person

Usage Note

Object is typically something intangible (information, truth, permission) or a right or benefit (funding, support, approval). The person affected is introduced by 'from'.

Common Mistakes

She withholded the truth from her parents.
She withheld the truth from her parents.
'withhold' has an irregular past form 'withheld', not 'withholded'.
He withheld from eating junk food.
He refrained from eating junk food.
'withhold' means refusing to give something TO someone, not stopping yourself from doing something.

2. to take part of someone's earnings or payment before they receive it, especially

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to take part of someone's earnings or payment before they receive it, especially for tax or legal purposes

Example

The employer must withhold income tax from each employee's monthly pay.

withhold + tax + from + salary

Rodrigo saw a small amount withheld from his paycheck for health insurance.

Common collocations
  • withhold tax
  • withhold a fee
  • withhold a portion
  • withhold an amount
  • withhold a percentage
Synonyms
  • deduct

    more neutral and technical; does not carry the idea of 'keeping back' — just subtracting

  • take out

    informal alternative; 'The government takes out tax before you get your pay'

Antonyms
  • pay out

    release payment in full

  • release

    stop holding back; let the full amount reach the recipient

Grammar Patterns

withhold + amount/tax + from + payment/salary

be withheld from + payment/salary

Usage Note

Frequently used in the passive voice. The subject is usually an employer, institution, or government body. The object is a specific sum, percentage, or type of deduction (tax, fee, portion).

Common Mistakes

The company withheld tax for the government.' (imprecise)
The company withheld tax from the employee's pay.
'withhold' requires specifying what is taken out, and 'from' shows the source.
The bank withheld my account.
The bank deducted a fee from my account.
'withhold' is about keeping back a payment, not removing money from an account.

Word family

  • withholding
    nounB2
  • withheld
    adjectiveB2
  • withholder
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Withhold' is the most formal of the four and implies a deliberate decision not to hand over something that is expected or owed — often with a sense of power or control, as when a government withholds funding. 'Keep back' is more informal and neutral; you can keep back physical items or facts without a strong sense of authority: 'She kept back a few cookies for later.' 'Deny' is the strongest and most active — it suggests an outright refusal to give, admit, or allow: 'The committee denied his request for an extension.' 'Refuse' is the broadest term, covering both giving things and doing actions: 'He refused to answer the question.' For a learner, use 'withhold' in formal writing about rights, money, or information; use 'keep back' in everyday conversation; use 'deny' when someone is actively shutting down a request; and use 'refuse' as the general-purpose verb.

withhold ↗keep back ↗deny ↗refuse ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • withhold from + person
  • be withheld from + payment

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Withhold' comes from Middle English 'withholden', formed by combining 'with-' (meaning 'away, back, against') and 'holden' ('to hold'). The prefix 'with-' here carries the sense of 'back' or 'away' — the same element seen in 'withdraw' (to pull back) and 'withstand' (to stand against). So the original meaning was literally 'to hold back or hold away'. The word has been used in English since the 13th century, first appearing in contexts of physically restraining, then shifting to the modern sense of refusing to grant or release.