keep for later

USAGE SUMMARY

"keep for later" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to say that you will save something, such as an idea or task, until a later time. For example, "I'm out of time right now; I'll have to keep this conversation for later."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Dad's job down at the docks was unloading cargo of every kind (like Eddie, the longshoreman in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge), but the best kind of cargo was foodstuffs, and the best kinds of foodstuffs were things you could slip in a poacher's pocket and keep for later; that was cans.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The company's official blog post even spoke to this possibility, saying: "when you come across articles you may not have time to read, or just want to keep for later,  you can save them to your own reading list board.

TechCrunch

That way, you can cover the most important points in your speech while giving the audience a reference for the more detailed points that they can keep for later.

WikiHow

If your guests aren't going to go hog wild over it at the pot, pour the mixture into bottles (three 12 oz. bottles works well) to keep for later.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

After eating the dolphin, the bear seemed to cover it with ice so that it could be kept for later.

Independent

The supernatants were kept for later use.

Nanoscale Res Lett

The construction process is the same as the CFFP-tree algorithm except more information are kept for later mining process to discover the completely fuzzy frequent itemsets.

Applied Soft Computing

The patent number format used for the comparison consisted of the patent office (two letters) and the number string, however, the SCPN format (PO-n-KK, where PO is the 2-digit patent office code, n is the patent number and KK is the 1- or 2-digit kind code) was kept for later use.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Briefly, half of the culture medium was removed and kept for later.

Plosone

A portion of the seedlings in each experiment was kept for later phenotypic confirmation.

BMC Genomics

A part of the liver was kept for later isolation of total RNA.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "keep for later", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being kept and for what specific later purpose. This avoids ambiguity and enhances clarity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "keep for later" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for alternatives like "retain for subsequent analysis" or "preserve for future study" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "keep for later" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of preserving or setting something aside for future use. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct. The examples provided in Ludwig show its use in various contexts from saving articles to reserving food.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Wiki

33.33%

News & Media

33.33%

Science

33.33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "keep for later" is a grammatically sound and readily understandable expression used to indicate the action of reserving something for future use. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, its register leans towards neutral to informal contexts. It’s suitable for everyday conversation and general writing, but more formal options might be preferred in academic or highly professional settings. Common usage includes reserving articles, food, or ideas. Alternatives include "save for future use" or "set aside for later". The phrase's frequency is relatively rare, but its meaning is clear and consistently applied.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

save for future use

Replaces "keep" with "save" and specifies the future use, emphasizing the act of saving.

set aside for later

Uses "set aside" instead of "keep", implying a deliberate action of putting something away.

reserve for future

Employs "reserve", suggesting a more formal or planned setting aside.

hold back for later

Uses "hold back", indicating a withholding of something for subsequent use.

store for future

Replaces "keep" with "store", emphasizing the act of storing for future utilization.

retain for subsequent use

A more formal version using "retain" and "subsequent use".

preserve for future

Suggests preserving something, implying an effort to maintain its condition for future use.

bank for later

Metaphorically uses "bank", suggesting saving something like resources or energy.

stash away for future

Implies secretly saving something for later use.

put by for future

A less common but still understandable alternative, suggesting setting something aside for future needs.

FAQs

How can I use "keep for later" in a sentence?

You can use "keep for later" when you want to express the idea of saving something for future use. For example, "I'll "keep this article for later" when I have more time to read it".

What are some alternatives to "keep for later"?

Some alternatives to "keep for later" include "save for future use", "set aside for later", or "reserve for future", depending on the context.

Is "keep for later" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "keep for later" might be too informal for academic or professional writing. Consider using more formal alternatives like "retain for subsequent use" or "preserve for future analysis".

What's the difference between "keep for later" and "save for later"?

Both phrases are very similar, but "save for later" emphasizes the act of saving something, while "keep for later" simply implies holding onto it. They are largely interchangeable, but the best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.