keep 1 of 2

1
as in to celebrate
to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony keep the Sabbath by not working

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
as in to maintain
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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keep

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word keep different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of keep are celebrate, commemorate, and observe. While all these words mean "to notice or honor a day, occasion, or deed," keep stresses the idea of not neglecting or violating.

kept the Sabbath by refraining from work

Where would celebrate be a reasonable alternative to keep?

While in some cases nearly identical to keep, celebrate suggests acknowledging an occasion by festivity.

traditionally celebrates Thanksgiving with a huge dinner

When might commemorate be a better fit than keep?

In some situations, the words commemorate and keep are roughly equivalent. However, commemorate suggests that an occasion is marked by observances that remind one of the origin and significance of the event.

commemorate Memorial Day with the laying of wreaths

When is it sensible to use observe instead of keep?

Although the words observe and keep have much in common, observe suggests marking the occasion by ceremonious performance.

not all holidays are observed nationally

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 keep
Verb
Dixon scored 25 of his 32 points in the second half after a slow offensive start, which sparked a double-digit comeback, thus showing what Dixon has to do night in and night out to keep his team alive in games. Tyler Small, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 That’s what keeps the peace in the Valley of California. Demetrius Patterson, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are playing for keeps and America’s existential interests may soon be on the line. David A. Deptula, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 That’s why the most important thing for an actor is everything should be played for keeps. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for keep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Verb
  • Still, cricket-mad Pakistan has reason to celebrate.
    Betsy Joles, NPR, 2 Mar. 2025
  • While the debutantes and their escorts are the main attraction, the Vienna Opera Ball celebrates Austrian cultural heritage, a source of pride in this country.
    Anthony DeMarco, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The filing stated that almost 5,800 USAID awards for future work, and approximately 4,100 distributed through the State Department, will be terminated, while around 500 USAID awards and roughly 2,700 State Department awards will be retained.
    MaryAlice Parks, ABC News, 28 Feb. 2025
  • That contest went the 12-round distance, with Herring retaining his belt.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The service will aim to fulfill the original mission of Fubo.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Running a bed and breakfast fulfills a long-time dream of hers.
    Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • That one harnesses Majorana fermions to create topological qubits that are designed to store information in a way that’s inherently protected against many types of errors.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Feb. 2025
  • At one point, 36 pounds of gold, purchased as an investment, was being stored on the grounds of Skyview Memorial.
    Richard Halstead, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The jury rejected the misconduct claims, per The Marshall Project, and Jackson has maintained that no deal was made with Webb for his testimony.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Francis Authorizes Appointment of Four New Bishops Despite his hospitalization, the pope has maintained a degree of governance.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Only two tracks have managed to lead the Hot Dance/Pop Songs list since its inception six weeks ago.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
  • The park service maintains and manages more than 400 natural, cultural, and recreational sites, along with about 26,000 historic structures.
    Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Access to such information is tightly controlled, said Jeffrey Vagle, a law professor and cybersecurity expert at Georgia State University who has in the past worked on classified federal technology projects.
    DAVID KLEPPER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Use extreme caution with any open flames since any wildfires that get started will have potential to spread rapidly and be very difficult or impossible to control.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The concentric layers of photon shields protect the sensitive optical instruments from the heat of the Earth and sun.
    Stephen J. Beard, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025
  • This approach aligned with the priorities of the United States during the early Cold War, enmeshing West Germany into an international order meant to protect against future conflict.
    TIME, TIME, 23 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.

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