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1. Definition + Rich Everyday Explanation
Withhold (verb) ( vit ho:ld) = to refuse to give, share, or allow something; to hold back or keep something from someone, especially information, money, or approval.
When you withhold something, you’re deliberately keeping it back — not giving what could or should be given. The word suggests intentional refusal, control, and often power dynamics. It’s not that you don’t have something to give; you’re choosing not to give it.
“Withhold” appears frequently in legal, financial, and emotional contexts. Employers withhold taxes from paychecks — they deduct money before paying employees and send it to the government. Courts can withhold evidence. Governments withhold classified information from the public. These are official, institutional acts of keeping things back.
In interpersonal relationships, withholding is often negative and manipulative. Withholding affection means refusing love or emotional warmth as punishment or control. Withholding information means keeping secrets that others need or deserve to know. Withholding approval means refusing recognition or praise. This kind of withholding is about power and control — using what people need or want as leverage.
The word also appears in moral and ethical contexts: withholding the truth, withholding judgment (suspending opinion until you have more information), withholding consent (refusing permission).
“Withhold” always implies possession and refusal — you have something, and you’re choosing not to give it.
Examples from the street:
- “The company withheld his final paycheck until he returned the equipment” → the employer refused to give him earned money until he met a condition
- “She’s withholding information about what really happened” → she’s deliberately keeping back facts that should be shared
- “He withholds affection when he’s angry — it’s emotional manipulation” → he refuses to show love as a form of punishment or control
2. Most Common Patterns
- withhold information/evidence/details → refuse to share facts or data
- withhold payment/money/wages → refuse to give owed money
- withhold consent/permission/approval → refuse to give authorization or endorsement
- withhold affection/love/support → refuse to give emotional care
- withhold judgment → delay forming or expressing an opinion
- withhold taxes → deduct money from paychecks for government
- withhold something from someone → keep something back from a specific person
3. Idioms
- withhold judgment → delay forming or expressing an opinion until you have more informationExample: “I’ll withhold judgment on the new policy until I see how it actually works in practice.”
- Note: “Withhold judgment” is the main idiomatic expression containing “withhold” — here’s a related expression:keep something under wraps → keep information secret or hidden (similar to withholding information)
Example: “The company kept the merger plans under wraps until the deal was finalized.”
4. Example Sentences
- The government has the right to withhold classified information for national security→ Authorities can legally refuse to share confidential data to protect the country.
- Employers withhold taxes from employees’ paychecks automatically→ Companies deduct government-required money from workers’ earnings before paying them.
- The witness was accused of withholding evidence from the police→ The observer was charged with deliberately keeping back important facts from law enforcement.
- She decided to withhold her approval until she saw better results→ She chose to refuse her endorsement until performance improved.
- It’s unfair to withhold affection as a form of punishment in relationships→ Refusing emotional warmth as a penalty in partnerships is unjust manipulation.
- I’m going to withhold judgment until I hear both sides of the story→ I’ll delay forming an opinion until I understand all perspectives.
- The landlord cannot legally withhold your security deposit without justification→ The property owner cannot lawfully refuse to return your money without valid reasons.
- He withheld crucial details about the project’s problems→ He deliberately kept back essential information about the undertaking’s difficulties.
- The company withheld payment claiming the work wasn’t completed properly→ The business refused to give money owed, asserting inadequate job completion.
- Parents shouldn’t withhold love from children as discipline→ Mothers and fathers should not refuse affection to young people as a punishment method.
5. Personal Examples
- Teachers should never withhold important academic information from students→ Educators must not refuse to share essential educational facts with learners.
- Mahir learned not to withhold questions in class even when nervous about his English→ He discovered he shouldn’t keep back inquiries during lessons despite anxiety about his language ability.
6. Register: Formal
✔ Native usage tips
- “Withhold” is more formal than everyday alternatives like “keep back” or “refuse to give”
- Very common in legal, financial, and official contexts (withhold evidence, withhold payment)
- “Withhold taxes” is standard financial terminology everyone understands
- “Withhold judgment” is a common expression meaning to delay forming an opinion
- In relationship contexts, “withholding” (noun form) describes manipulative behavior of refusing affection/communication
- The word implies intentional refusal, not accidental failure to give something
- Past tense and past participle: “withheld”
✔ Similar expressions / words
- Hold back → keep something from being given or shared; more casual than withhold
- Keep back → refuse to give or share; casual equivalent of withhold
- Retain → keep possession of; similar but less about refusal, more about continued possession
- Suppress → prevent from being revealed or expressed; similar to withholding information but emphasizes active prevention
- Refuse → decline to give or allow; similar but “withhold” emphasizes keeping back what’s possessed
- Conceal → hide or keep secret; similar to withholding information but emphasizes hiding rather than refusing
