keep 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

2 of 2

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

Examples 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
And marathon runners their playlists, and Kelce his cap, Our all-stars who keep Philly on the map. Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 23 Dec. 2024 He was later sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, part of what prosecutors called a plot to use force keep Donald Trump in the White House after the 2020 election. CBS News, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
The Dial The dial is the second part of the package, and one that struggles to earn its keep. Barry Collins, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Osaka Castle–Nakanoshima route on the Aqua-Liner Water Bus with a view of the castle’s main keep, gives a magnificent sense of place and history, especially when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom along the river. Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for keep 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Verb
  • Be quick to celebrate moments of achievement and display sincere concern when associates are in pain.
    Chip Bell, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of Assad, gathering in the capital's historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule.
    ALBERT AJI AND MATTHEW LEE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Deciding who retains control or how ownership is divided can feel like an existential threat, particularly if both spouses are involved in the business.
    Sara Khaki, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Months later, this season’s standout contestants have retained their cultural staying power.
    Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the backlog of unfulfilled orders has reached a record 17,000: at current delivery rates, this would take 14 years to fulfill, although the wait time is expected to eventually shorten.
    Ted Reed, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Many of the happiest super-agers never retire and have purposeful jobs that fulfill them.
    Renée Onque, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • And because a big meal produces a huge spike in insulin, your body responds to the sugar and efficiently stores more body fat.
    Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Headquartered in Verona, Epic now stores the medical records of more than 250 million patients, according to its website.
    Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Economists, however, are closely monitoring whether consumers can maintain this level of support amid a backdrop of rising uncertainties including President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
  • The official website for Ginzan Onsen said the trial had been launched after years of debate, adding that authorities were hoping to maintain a good relationship with visitors.
    AFP, Fortune Asia, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Often Bradley would manage the team in the evening, then the following morning bring his son for chemotherapy at Crumlin hospital in Dublin.
    Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
  • That's how developers managed to propose a 240-foot building in the coastal height-limit area, with 74 apartments and 139 hotel rooms, despite zoning restrictions that allow only 31 apartments.
    Andrew Keatts, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Time in fiction works in a similar way—except that in books, the writer alone controls the organizational system, measuring out time through sentences, paragraphs, and chapters, and moving it in service to the plot.
    Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2024
  • But Congress, ultimately, controls the purse, a fact that has bedeviled Presidents of both parties.
    Philip Elliott, TIME, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Employees in national defense, law enforcement, and other departments that protect life and property are expected to continue working, the government agency said.
    Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
  • This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near keep

Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

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