Word
withholding
Phoneticswith·hold·ing, stress on the second syllable
US/wɪθˈhoʊɫdɪŋ/
UK/wɪðhˈəʊldɪŋ/
Definitions
01tax deduction
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Technical
n. money that an employer takes out of your paycheck to pay your taxes to the government.
n. the deduction of tax from an employee's salary by an employer, who then pays it directly to the government.
“You should check your monthly withholding to make sure you aren't paying too much tax.”
“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.
02keeping something back
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the act of refusing to give information, money, or help.
n. the deliberate act of retaining or refusing to grant something, such as information, evidence, or consent.
“The withholding of evidence during the trial caused a lot of problems for the lawyers.”
“The committee argued that the deliberate withholding of key documents constituted a breach of the transparency agreement.”
Usage
Commonly followed by the preposition 'of'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“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.” “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.” Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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