Definitions and Examples of withhold, keep, retain
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
Refuse to give or grant something that is due or desired.
Example
The company decided to withhold the bonus until the end of the year.
Retain possession of.
Example
He decided to keep the book instead of returning it to the library.
Continue to have something; keep possession of.
Example
The lawyer advised his client to retain a copy of the contract for future reference.
Key Differences: withhold vs keep vs retain
- 1Withhold implies a deliberate decision not to give or grant something that is due or desired.
- 2Keep suggests holding onto something and not letting it go or return it to its original owner.
- 3Retain means to continue to have something and keep possession of it.
Effective Usage of withhold, keep, retain
- 1Business: Use withhold to describe a company's decision not to release information or funds.
- 2Personal: Use keep to describe holding onto something that belongs to someone else.
- 3Legal: Use retain to describe keeping possession of important documents or evidence.
Remember this!
The antonyms of deliver are withhold, keep, and retain. These words convey the opposite meaning of delivering something. Use withhold to describe a deliberate decision not to give or grant something, keep to describe holding onto something, and retain to describe continuing to have something and keep possession of it.
