keep back
B2Neutral to informal. More common in spoken or narrative contexts than in formal writing.
Definition
Meaning
To prevent something or someone from moving forward or being fully revealed; to withhold.
Can refer to physically restraining, concealing information or emotions, or retaining a portion of something (like money or resources).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a transitive phrasal verb (keep something back / keep back something). The 'withhold' meaning often involves information, money, or emotions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage and core meanings are nearly identical. Minor potential difference: 'keep back' for physical restraint might be slightly more frequent in UK narratives. The financial 'withhold' sense is equally common in both.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. No strong positive or negative connotation inherent to the term itself.
Frequency
Moderately common in both varieties, with no significant frequency disparity.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] keep [Object] back[Subject] keep back [Object] (less common with pronouns)Keep [Pronoun] back (e.g., Keep them back!)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Keep something back for a rainy day (variant of 'save for a rainy day')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The company decided to keep back 10% of the profits for future investment."
Academic
"The researcher was accused of keeping back crucial data that contradicted the hypothesis."
Everyday
"I could tell she was keeping something back about what happened."
Technical
"The firewall keeps back unauthorized traffic."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The teacher told the eager pupils to keep back from the science experiment.
- He kept back the most shocking part of the story until the end.
American English
- The police kept the crowd back from the accident scene.
- My pay check had taxes kept back before I received it.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please keep back! The paint is wet.
- The dog was kept back by a fence.
- She tried to keep back her laughter during the serious meeting.
- Keep some money back for emergencies.
- The government was criticised for keeping back vital information from the public.
- Security guards kept the fans back as the celebrity arrived.
- Despite the intense cross-examination, the witness managed to keep back the one detail that would have incriminated his friend.
- A portion of the grant was kept back pending a review of the initial project outcomes.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a goalkeeper (KEEP-er) who stands BACK on the goal line to prevent the ball from entering the net – they KEEP the ball BACK.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/TRUTH IS A FLUID (withhold information) – "He kept back the details." CONTROL IS HOLDING (restrain physically) – "Police kept the protesters back."
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить буквально как "держать спину".
- Отличать от "keep away" (держаться подальше).
- В значении "скрывать" – это именно умышленное утаивание, а не просто "не говорить".
Common Mistakes
- *I kept back to cry. (Incorrect – needs an object) Correct: I kept back my tears.
- Confusing with 'keep behind' (which is usually about staying after an event).
- Using it intransitively: *The crowd kept back. (Possible but rare; 'held back' or 'stayed back' is more typical.)
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, 'to keep back funds' most closely means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a separable phrasal verb. You can say 'keep the information back' or 'keep back the information'. With pronouns, it must be separated: 'keep it back'.
They are largely synonymous. 'Hold back' is perhaps slightly more common for physical restraint and emotions ('hold back tears'), while 'keep back' can sound slightly more deliberate for withholding information or resources. The difference is subtle.
Rarely. It is almost always transitive. Intransitive use (e.g., 'The soldiers kept back') is possible but uncommon and context-specific, often implying 'stayed at a distance'.
No, it is neutral to informal. In very formal writing, synonyms like 'withhold', 'retain', or 'restrain' might be preferred depending on the context.