WITHHOLDS Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

withholds

verb

present tense third-person singular of withhold

as in denies

to be unwilling to grant must withhold official approval until all the proper forms have been submitted

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of withholds The governing lottery body automatically withholds 24% of the prize, leaving the balance to be paid by the winner. — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Iqbal, a migrant Muslim man, drifts through a city that withholds its welcome. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 June 2026 Trump has made clear his disdain for NATO, his affection for Putin, gushes over autocrats, and withholds military support for Ukraine. — Arthur House, Hartford Courant, 15 June 2026 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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for withholds

Verb

One denies bond hearings to people who entered the country illegally and may be deported.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
The owner of the gas station where investigators say Robert Strang bought synthetic kratom denies that the pills found near the student's body came from his store.

— Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of denies

Verb

Rice University researchers found that the material retains directional spin fluctuations even after conventional magnetic order disappears.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Trump retains enormous influence among the Republican voters who powered his ascent, even as dissatisfaction with his leadership threatens candidates who must appeal beyond his most committed supporters.

— Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of retains

Verb

Fox calls the deaths tragic but rejects responsibility Covering any armed conflict by definition involves peril.

— David Folkenflik, NPR, 4 Oct. 2026
The series backs up 25 years to a Connecticut farm where father Cyrus Trask (Tracy Letts), a peg-legged Civil War veteran, rejects Charles’ gift of a new knife in favor of Adam’s present of a stray puppy, creating a long trail of jealousy.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of rejects

Verb

The bar makes a perfectly balanced drink, and brunch holds its own with plenty of light and rib-sticking options alike (the steak and eggs were my favorite) and strong locally roasted coffee (both pour-over and espresso options).

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Brazil’s attorney general last week accused the US of undermining Brazilian democracy — a central theme for incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who holds a razor-thin polling lead over Flávio Bolsonaro.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of holds

Verb

Hur’s film declines to name a culprit, and its detractors argue the open ending points the finger at Park Chung-hee or his government.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Don’t wait until performance declines to question your systems, structure or strategy.

— James Barlow, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of declines

Verb

The Justice Department argued that the decision demonstrated that Congress possesses at least some authority to establish voter qualifications in federal elections.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
When new, concrete possesses a thin, temporarily protective layer that, if not maintained, will wear away, exposing the interior, which gradually crumbles.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026