KEEPING Synonyms: 341 Similar and Opposite Words

keeping 1 of 2

noun

ˈkē-piŋ

Definition of keeping

as in custody

responsibility for the safety and well-being of someone or something put the house keys into a neighbor's secure keeping while they were on vacation

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Relevance

as in hands

the fact or state of having (something) at one's disposal my aunt has all of our family's old photographs in her keeping

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as in adherence

the following of a custom, rule, or law the keeping of religious laws and traditions

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as in shape

a state of being or fitness the estate hasn't been in good keeping since the owner suffered financial reverses

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keeping

2 of 2

verb

present participle of keep

as in celebrating

to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony keep the Sabbath by not working

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as in retaining

to continue to have in one's possession or power the money is yours to keep keep my secret and don't tell it to anyone

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as in fulfilling

to do what is required by the terms of make sure you keep your promise to help out at the homeless shelter

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as in storing

to place somewhere for safekeeping or ready availability I keep extra toothbrushes for unexpected overnight guests

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as in supporting

to pay the living expenses of agreed to keep both of their children in off-campus housing until they graduated and found jobs

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as in managing

to look after and make decisions about enlisted a relative to keep the store while she was away

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as in controlling

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) try to keep your composure no matter what happens

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as in protecting

to drive danger or attack away from may God bless and keep you

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of keeping

Noun

Koen also took issue with the coalition’s financial record-keeping and said its rental assistance program is redundant to West Valley Community Services’ program. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 The very nature of the oral tradition, which is decidedly African and characteristically unburdened by the rules of Western record-keeping, is the spirit of its truth, even more than its detail. — Anne Haley, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

Verb

And the United States has already used up many critical munitions and strained its troops in the region by keeping the war going. — James F. Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026 Mattfeld is excellent in what could easily have been a thankless role, playing Ricky with the mien of someone who is always holding it together, years of disappointment and condescension and expectation keeping her eyes worried and jaw tight. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for keeping

Recent Examples of Synonyms for keeping

Noun

As of July 11, 70% of the nearly 66,000 people in ICE custody had no criminal conviction, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, which analyzes federal immigration data.

— María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Close to four years have passed since Iran’s Woman Life Freedom protests were sparked by the death in police custody, on September 16, 2022, of Mahsa Amini following her arrest for not wearing her hijab correctly.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of custody

Noun

That afternoon, the president, inside the exposition’s ornate Temple of Music, greeted members of the public, shaking hands and warmly inviting them to explore the fair.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Mendoza threw high to Jalen Nailor on his second play, and the ball popped into the air into the hands of San Francisco linebacker Tatum Bethune for an interception.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of hands

Noun

Members may appeal the presiding officer’s ruling, but, given a commitment to nonpartisan conduct and adherence to precedent, in practice the parliamentarian’s advice carries significant weight and is generally considered final.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Better adherence and earlier intervention can help prevent costly complications that drive healthcare spending, including hospitalizations, emergency-room visits and disease progression.

— Joel Zive, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of adherence

Verb

Tommy White Rated PG-13, 1 hour 37 minutes Hank, an American living in Australia, is now trying to be a gentle giant, one who’s celebrating his one-year anniversary of sobriety and who clearly suffers from lingering emotional trauma.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
The film, on the other hand, centers on July 14, 1937, which is Bastille Day in France, a day celebrating freedom.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of celebrating

Verb

More concerning memory problems may involve difficulty retaining new information in the first place, like repeatedly asking a question without remembering the answer.

— Danielle Zickl, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026
Goldman found Koreans in their sixties save more than any other age group, retaining 37% of their income.

— Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of retaining

Verb

Integrators should also shift conversations beyond fulfilling a scope of work and focus on the business outcomes customers are trying to achieve.

— Dirk Naylor, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Janet said her husband was fulfilling a longtime dream when the deadly flood struck.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of fulfilling

Verb

Smoke rises from a fire at a large warehouse storing car tires and wheels following a Russian strike in the Bucha district on August 29, 2026 in Kyiv, Ukraine.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Experts say the realities of construction –– blasting through rock with dynamite, pouring concrete into natural landforms and storing water in reservoirs –– could have unintended effects.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026