withheld

USAGE SUMMARY

"withheld" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is used to mean to keep something back or prevent it from being known. For example, "The detective refused to disclose the evidence he had withheld from the suspect."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The redactions in the drone memo's footnotes are perhaps the most disturbing, because they suggest the existence of an entire body of secret law, a veritable library of authoritative legal opinions produced by Justice Department lawyers but withheld from the American public.

The Guardian - Opinion

Name and address withheld What the expert thinks Linda Blair I'm not sure I understand what you would confront your boyfriend about, or what ultimatum you would give him.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Some residents claimed they had been misled about the thrust of the programme and that producers deliberately withheld the title from them.

The Guardian

This was a movie which withheld its meanings, and distributed clues and hints around the screenplay, it allowed the audience to experience a kind of drip-feed of meaning, which became a sudden, shocking deluge in the semi-intentional event which forms its catastrophe.

The Guardian - Film

The reform-for-cash deal, an interim accord before Greece signs up to an anticipated third bailout later this year, would unlock €7.2bn (£5.2bn) in financial assistance withheld since August as Athens has argued with creditors at the European Union, ECB and International Monetary Fund over the extent of austerity measures required to release aid.

The Guardian - Business

She refused and Perry duly withheld the money.

The Guardian

The most recent independent audit of conditions on Saadiyat island by accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers, commissioned by the TDIC, found that most workers were paying recruitment fees to secure their jobs in breach of employment rules, and some had their wages and passports withheld for up to six months.

The Guardian

Name withheld, Yorkshire My job is to improve the experience of older people in hospital.

The Guardian

Soon after she was chosen to review Stefanoni's work on the Knox case, Vecchiotti claimed that documents had been withheld from her.

The Guardian

Although the tenancy deposit protection scheme was introduced by the government in April 2007, Shelter says withheld deposits are a major issue for tenants, with one in four landlords and one in five tenants admitting they were not aware of the scheme.

The Guardian - Money

Flicking through the 17-page judgment, written in legalese, I struggled to understand what it meant, but the following line made it all worthwhile: "The Commissioner considers that the public interest factors in favour of the disclosure of the withheld information are very strong".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "withheld" when you want to emphasize that something was intentionally kept back, rather than simply not given or shown.

Common error

Don't confuse "withheld", which means to keep something back, with "withdrew", which means to remove or take back something. For example, a company might withhold information, while a person might withdraw money from a bank.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "withheld" is as the past tense and past participle of the verb "withhold". It describes the action of deliberately keeping something back. Ludwig shows many examples where it functions as a verb in sentences describing information or resources being kept back.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

28%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "withheld" is a versatile and commonly used verb form indicating the act of deliberately keeping something back. Ludwig's examples illustrate its prevalence in various contexts, including news, business, and scientific writing. As Ludwig AI confirms, the word is grammatically correct and used to denote intentional concealment or restriction. When writing, remember that "withheld" carries a stronger implication of intent than words like "omitted", and be careful not to confuse it with "withdrew".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

kept back

Replaces "withheld" with a simpler, more direct term indicating something was held back.

held back

Similar to "kept back", but implies a more active effort to restrain or prevent something from being released.

suppressed

Suggests a more forceful action of preventing something from being known or expressed.

concealed

Emphasizes the act of hiding something, making it difficult to find or notice.

repressed

Indicates a conscious or unconscious effort to restrain or subdue something, often emotions or desires.

retained

Highlights the act of keeping possession of something, often temporarily.

reserved

Suggests something is kept aside for a specific purpose or future use.

curtailed

Implies a reduction or restriction in something, often in terms of resources or freedoms.

restricted

Focuses on the limitation placed on something, preventing it from being fully accessed or utilized.

deducted

Relates specifically to the act of taking away a certain amount, often from a sum of money or taxes.

FAQs

How to use "withheld" in a sentence?

You can use "withheld" to indicate that something was deliberately kept back. For example, "The company withheld crucial information from investors" or "The government withheld funds from the project".

What can I say instead of "withheld"?

You can use alternatives like "kept back", "held back", or "suppressed" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "withheld" or "holded"?

"Withheld" is the correct past tense and past participle of the verb "withhold". "Holded" is not a standard English word.

What's the difference between "withheld" and "omitted"?

"Withheld" implies a deliberate act of keeping something back, while "omitted" simply means something was left out, possibly unintentionally. Therefore, "withheld" carries a stronger connotation of intent than "omitted".