# withholding

/wɪθˈhoʊɫdɪŋ/ (US) · /wɪðhˈəʊldɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/withholding
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. tax deduction

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

### 2. keeping something back

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

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

For teachers: 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'.

## Examples

- The withholding of evidence is a serious crime.
- The company's withholding of the annual bonuses led to a significant drop in employee morale.
- In many jurisdictions, the employer is responsible for the withholding of income tax at the source, ensuring that the government receives revenue throughout the fiscal year.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.