Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

withhold

/wɪθˈhoʊld/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.28 in modern English

Syllables: with-hold
IPA: /wɪθˈhoʊld/

18

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To keep (a physical object that one has obtained) to oneself rather than giving it back to its owner.

Transitive verb

verb

To keep (information, assent, etc.) to oneself rather than revealing it.

Transitive verb

verb

To stay back, to refrain.

Intransitive verb

noun

An immoral action or condition (an overt) that has not been disclosed to others; the consciousness of such an action or condition.

Example Sentences

"The bank withheld her credit card."
"Us if he ſhall hear novv, hovv much leſs vvill he hear vvhen vve cry hereafter, vvho once deliver'd by him from a King, and not vvithout vvondrous Acts of his Providence, inſenſible and unvvorthy of thoſe high Mercies, are returning precipitantly, if he vvithold us not, back to the Captivity from vvhence he freed us."
"withhold vital information"
"a withheld phone number"
"I’ll withhold from asking about it."
"Do you wish to proceed with those down the line in that order? […] We’ll withhold for now."

Etymology

From Middle English withholden. Equivalent to with- + hold.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Prefix: with
Root: withholden

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /wɪθˈhoʊld/
British English: /wɪθˈhəʊld/

Usage

Inflected Forms

withholds (present, singular) withholding (participle, present) withheld (past) withheld (participle, past) withholden (archaic, participle) with-hold (alternative, obsolete) withholds (plural)

Derived Forms

overwithhold underwithhold O/W

Synonyms

retain keep back deduct recoup

Rhymes With

old told hold gold cold sold controlled bold rolled fold enrolled mold

Questions

How do you pronounce withhold?: The recorded pronunciation is /wɪθˈhoʊld/.
What does withhold mean?: To keep (a physical object that one has obtained) to oneself rather than giving it back to its owner.
Where does withhold come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce withhold

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “withhold”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/wɪθˈhoʊld/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “withhold”.
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