Definitions and Examples of withhold, keep, retain
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
To refuse to give or grant something that is due or expected.
Example
The company decided to withhold bonuses until the end of the year.
To retain possession of something; not to give it away or let it go.
Example
I decided to keep the book instead of returning it to the library.
To keep or hold onto something; to continue to have it in one's possession.
Example
The company decided to retain its employees despite the economic downturn.
Key Differences: withhold vs keep vs retain
- 1Withhold implies a deliberate decision not to give or grant something that is due or expected.
- 2Keep implies retaining possession of something and not giving it away or letting it go.
- 3Retain implies continuing to have something in one's possession.
Effective Usage of withhold, keep, retain
- 1Business: Use allocates to describe the distribution of resources, and withhold to describe the refusal to give or grant something.
- 2Personal Finance: Use retain to describe keeping money or assets, and allocates to describe distributing funds or resources.
- 3Legal: Use withhold to describe the refusal to release information or documents, and retain to describe keeping ownership of property or assets.
Remember this!
The antonyms of allocates are withhold, keep, and retain. These words convey the opposite meaning of allocates. Use these words in different contexts to describe the refusal to give or grant something, retaining possession of something, or continuing to have something in one's possession.
