withhold
C1Formal, Neutral (in official, business, and legal contexts)
Definition
Meaning
To deliberately not give, grant, or allow something; to refuse to give.
To keep information, support, or emotions back; to restrain from acting, especially in an official capacity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Carries a strong sense of intentionality and restraint, often implying authority or a right to give something. Differs from simply 'not giving' by its deliberateness and potential justifiability.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The past tense/past participle 'withheld' is used in both. The -ing form 'withholding' is standard in both. No significant spelling or grammatical differences. Usage is slightly more common in American legal/financial contexts (e.g., withholding tax).
Connotations
Primarily formal, official, or legal in both varieties. In AmE, strongly associated with 'withholding tax' (income tax deducted at source).
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in AmE due to the ubiquity of 'withholding tax' in financial discourse. In BrE, common in legal, employment, and formal administrative contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
withhold somethingwithhold something from somebody/somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(until) further notice (implies withholding action)”
- “play your cards close to your chest (metaphorically withhold information)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The company decided to withhold the bonus until the audit was complete. (AmE: 'Employers are required to withhold federal taxes.')
Academic
The researcher chose to withhold the raw data pending peer review.
Everyday
She couldn't withhold her laughter during the serious meeting.
Technical
The software allows administrators to withhold user permissions selectively.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The bank can withhold payment if the cheque is suspect.
- The government withheld its approval for the new development.
American English
- The IRS will withhold taxes from your paycheck.
- The judge ordered the witness not to withhold evidence.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher withheld the sweets until the end of the lesson.
- Please don't withhold your questions.
- The company may withhold your salary if you don't submit the correct forms.
- He found it hard to withhold his opinion.
- The authorities have the right to withhold sensitive information for national security.
- She decided to withhold her consent until she had seen a lawyer.
- Prosecutors accused the defendant of deliberately withholding crucial evidence from the court.
- The study's authors chose to withhold the preliminary data, citing the need for more robust verification.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: HOLD something back WITH you, not giving it away. WITH + HOLD.
Conceptual Metaphor
INFORMATION/SUPPORT IS A FLUID OR RESOURCE (that can be kept in a container/back).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'утаить' (to conceal secretly); 'withhold' is more official/neutral. Do not directly translate as 'держать с' (literal). The closest single-word translation is often 'удерживать' (in the sense of not giving), but 'отказывать в чем-либо' captures the refusal aspect.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He withhold the documents yesterday.' (Correct: 'He withheld...').
- Incorrect preposition: 'withhold to someone' (Correct: 'withhold from someone').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'withhold' most commonly used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Withhold' is more formal and implies a deliberate, often justified, decision not to give something you possess (info, money, permission). 'Hide' is more general and physical, meaning to put something out of sight, and often implies secrecy or deception.
It is irregular. The principal parts are: withhold - withheld - withheld.
Rarely. It typically has a neutral or negative connotation (denying something). However, it can be positive when restraint is wise, e.g., 'withholding judgment until all facts are known.'
A withholding tax is an income tax that an employer deducts from an employee's wages and pays directly to the government on the employee's behalf. It is a standard concept in the US tax system and common in other countries.