keep confidential

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "keep confidential" is correct and is used in written English.
You can use it when you want to make it clear to someone that a certain piece of information should not be shared or made public. For example, "Please keep this report confidential; only certain people within the organization should have access to it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

One important lesson from this incident is that investigators should not promise confidentiality without knowing in full what they can keep confidential.

Environmental Health Perspectives

And state laws allow the governor to keep confidential much of the cost of his travels.

The New York Times

The S.E.C. allowed Berkshire to keep confidential its holdings in First Data and Iron Mountain.

The New York Times

The lawyers, for example, participated in overseeing scientific research projects that they could then keep confidential.

The New York Times

He knew that he would have to keep confidential anything that Rabbi Neulander told him.

The New York Times

The judge, Thomas F. Nuss, did allow the church to keep confidential certain personnel files.

The New York Times

The players have decided to keep confidential the details of their charity.

The New York Times - Sports

Ms. Dragas later released a statement acknowledging faculty concerns, adding that the board must "keep confidential matters of disagreement".

The New York Times

"They acted in bad faith by misrepresenting that and by releasing otherwise private information we had agreed to keep confidential".

The New York Times

"The S.E.C. will show Mark Cuban had information the public did not — information he agreed to keep confidential".

The New York Times

State law permits law enforcement authorities to keep confidential the identity of a person officially reporting a sexual assault.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When requesting confidentiality, clearly state the specific information that needs to be kept private and the duration for which it should remain so. For example, "Please "keep confidential" the financial projections for the next quarter until the official announcement."

Common error

Avoid guaranteeing absolute confidentiality without the authority to do so. Legal and ethical obligations might require disclosure in certain situations. Instead, qualify your commitment, for example, "We will make every reasonable effort to "keep confidential" this information, subject to legal requirements."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "keep confidential" functions as a directive, typically used to instruct someone to maintain the privacy of specific information. As Ludwig AI states, it's used to make it clear that information should not be shared.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Formal & Business

20%

Academia

16%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "keep confidential" is a common and grammatically correct way to instruct someone to maintain the privacy of information. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to prevent unauthorized disclosure. Its usage spans diverse contexts, including news, business, academia, and science, and it carries a neutral register. When using this phrase, clarity and proper authority are crucial to avoid miscommunication or ethical breaches. Consider related phrases like "maintain secrecy" or "preserve confidentiality" for stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hold in confidence

Implies trust and discretion in keeping something confidential.

preserve confidentiality

Highlights the act of preserving an existing state of confidentiality.

treat as private

Focuses on the way information is handled, indicating it should be considered private.

respect privacy

Underscores the importance of respecting someone's private information.

maintain secrecy

Focuses on the act of maintaining secrecy, shifting the emphasis from the information to the action.

safeguard privileged information

Focuses on protecting information that has a special status or protection.

protect sensitive information

Emphasizes the act of protecting information rather than simply keeping it quiet.

observe discretion

Highlights the need for careful and judicious handling of information.

not disclose

Directly states the act of not revealing information.

keep under wraps

An idiomatic expression suggesting secrecy and concealment.

FAQs

How can I use "keep confidential" in a sentence?

You can use "keep confidential" to request that information not be shared, like this: "Please "keep confidential" the details of this agreement."

What is a more formal way to say "keep confidential"?

In formal contexts, you might prefer phrases like "maintain secrecy" or "preserve confidentiality" instead of "keep confidential".

What does it mean to "keep confidential" something?

To "keep confidential" means to ensure that certain information remains private and is not disclosed to unauthorized parties.

Is there a legal obligation to "keep confidential" information?

The legal obligation to "keep confidential" information depends on contracts, laws, and professional ethics. Breaching such an obligation can have legal consequences.