withhold
Refuse to give
To withhold is to hold back or refuse to give something.
You might withhold information, withhold payment, withhold judgment, or withhold affection.
The word implies deliberate restraint—keeping something that could be given or released: The company withheld his final paycheck.
Taxes withheld from a paycheck are deducted before you receive it.
Forcibly put an end to
- repressHold back forcibly
- keep backRestrain or retain
- restrainLimit freedom of movement
- containHold within limits
inhibit · stifle · check · curb · control · bottle up · keep in · swallow
Enforced waiting period
- deferDelay or submit
- postponeDelay to later time
- suspendHalt or hang temporarily
- shelveSuspend or store
table · hold off · stall · put off · hold up · pause · wait · hesitate
suppress
Forcibly put an end to
contain · inhibit · stifle · check · curb · control · bottle up · keep in · swallow · conceal
deny
Refuse to admit
disallow · veto · forbid · prohibit · deprive · dispossess · cut off · block · bar · exclude
delay
Enforced waiting period
shelve · table · hold off · stall · put off · hold up · pause · wait · hesitate · procrastinate
retain
Keep possession of
preserve · maintain · hang onto · cling to · pocket · hoard · stockpile · sit on · save · store
abstain
Deliberately not do
resist · avoid · eschew · forgo · renounce · decline · pass · opt out · hold off · stay away
- abstinencesobriety, celibacy, chastity, teetotalism, fasting
- resistresist, oppose, defy, rebuff, refuse
- Scientologyauditing, auditor, clear, Dianetics, engram
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- bottling emotionsrepress, suppress, stifle, contain, restrain
- concealmentconceal, hiding, concealing, concealed, hide
- income withholdingPre-payment salary extraction
- withholding affectionDeliberately denying emotional warmth
- tax withholdingEmployer-retained government payment
- withholding taxesPre-collected income levies
- withholding taxEmployer-remitted income levy
- federal withholdingEmployer-deducted government tax