English Reference
noun

withholding

n.
US /wɪθˈhoʊɫdɪŋ/ UK /wɪðhˈəʊldɪŋ/ with·hold·ing UK spelling withholdings

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Technical Law

    money that an employer takes out of your paycheck to pay your taxes to the government.

    the deduction of tax from an employee's salary by an employer, who then pays it directly to the government.

    Simple

    You should check your monthly withholding to make sure you aren't paying too much tax.

    In context

    The payroll department adjusted his federal withholding after he updated his marital status on the official tax forms.

    Usage

    Often used as an uncountable noun in a financial context.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Formal

    the act of refusing to give information, money, or help.

    the deliberate act of retaining or refusing to grant something, such as information, evidence, or consent.

    Simple

    The withholding of evidence during the trial caused a lot of problems for the lawyers.

    In context

    The committee argued that the deliberate withholding of key documents constituted a breach of the transparency agreement.

    Usage

    Commonly followed by the preposition 'of'.

In the past, aides working at the two duchies have gone to great lengths to obscure details of their property portfolios, withholding the information even from parliament.

The Guardian· 16 Aug 2026

In the case of the two duchies, aides have gone to great lengths in the past to obscure their property portfolios, withholding the information even from parliament.

The Guardian· 15 Aug 2026
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated