Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

keep back

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.51 in modern English

Syllables: keep- back
IPA

22

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To hold back; to refuse to give or share.

Transitive verb

verb

To stay back; to refrain from approaching.

Intransitive verb

verb

To restrict or restrain.

Transitive verb

verb

To prevent (a pupil) from advancing in a course.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"Germany eased off in the second half and this was a night when Joachim Löw, like Southgate, took the opportunity to keep back his best XI."

Usage

Inflected Forms

keeps back (present, singular) keeping back (participle, present) kept back (participle, past) kept back (past)

Synonyms

restrain keep hold back withhold retain hold

Questions

What does keep back mean?: To hold back; to refuse to give or share.

How to pronounce keep back

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “keep back”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “keep back”.
Repeat and practice — Say “keep back” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.