English Meaning & Definitions
To refuse to give, keep back, or withhold something that is due or requested.
- “The company decided to withhold payment until the project was fully completed.”
- “She chose to withhold her consent from the controversial agreement.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “withhold”.
Derived from Middle English 'withholden', from Old English 'wiðhealdan' (to hold back, retain), combining 'wið' (against, back) and 'healdan' (to hold). The sense evolved from physically holding something back to figuratively refusing to give or share information, support, or consent.
Think of 'with' (alongside) and 'hold'—you are holding something back *with* you instead of giving it away.
Frequently Asked Questions About “withhold”
1. What is the meaning of “withhold” in English?
In English, withhold (verb) is defined as: “To refuse to give, keep back, or withhold something that is due or requested.”.
2. How do you use “withhold” in a sentence?
“The company decided to withhold payment until the project was fully completed.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “withhold”?
Derived from Middle English 'withholden', from Old English 'wiðhealdan' (to hold back, retain), combining 'wið' (against, back) and 'healdan' (to hold). The sense evolved from physically holding something back to figuratively refusing to give or share information, support, or consent.
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