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

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

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
Then, use your human connection skills to foster collaboration, resolve conflict, and keep people aligned, motivated, and moving forward. Adaptability. William Arruda, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025 Except for what keeps coming up in this most interesting of books. John Tamny, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Noun
Ensure the keep pile isn’t overflowing while your donate pile is slim. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025 Tell that to the millions of regular people working at fast-food joints and factories who must go to work every day to earn their keep. Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keep
Verb
  • Carey recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of her album The Emancipation of Mimi with The Emancipation of Mimi (20th Anniversary Edition) and an additional digital deluxe edition.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2025
  • Clara Adams, a sophomore at North Salinas High School, crossed the finish line first at last Saturday’s meet and immediately ran to her father, David Adams, to celebrate.
    Melissa Noel, Essence, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • For example, by day 70, Manhattan condos retain almost 97% of their original asking price, while Manhattan townhouses have already slipped to 92%.
    John Walkup, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • McVay will be retained for a further period to give strategic advice to the new CEO and also lead in the short to medium term on all of Pact’s political and campaigning work.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • These are the building blocks that will help retailers fulfill the promise of their RMNs—not just as a media platform, but as a growth engine.
    Lindsey Mazza, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • In Anderson’s lavishly talented ensembles, the majority of the performers fulfill the basic requirements of being in a Wes Anderson movie, which can involve spitting out long reams of dialogue quickly, directly, without a lot of sauce.
    Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • Israel has also hit missile bases that reportedly stored solid and liquid-fueled missiles, including the Ghadir site, according to the Critical Threats Project.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 17 June 2025
  • The graph below is a combination of data from May and June in 2025 from the research center and archived values stored by the St. Louis Fed.
    Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • The Athletic maintains full editorial independence.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 15 June 2025
  • Here are recommendations for maintaining safety during a thunderstorm: To minimize risk of being struck by lightning, when going outside, have a plan to get to a safer place.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 June 2025
Verb
  • Rehrig will manage editorial direction, story development and day-to-day production.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 June 2025
  • Kieran manages to survive, and Sean is finally held accountable and arrested for the deaths of Gabby Birch and Bronte Laidler.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Verb
  • Ukraine currently controls only a fraction of Kursk.
    Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 16 June 2025
  • The number of apartments built there is controlled by the state’s density bonus law, which allows projects that include affordable housing to include more units than permitted under local zoning laws.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • The Marines are tasked with protecting federal facilities and personnel, according to a statement from U.S. Northern Command, and will operate under Task Force 51—a contingency unit created to coordinate military support for domestic emergencies.
    Nik Popli, Time, 11 June 2025
  • Behind the scenes, the preservation society worked closely with HBO’s production team to protect the historic interiors, creatively adapting elements like the original billiard table to fit filming needs without compromising the estate’s integrity.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Keep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keep. Accessed 21 Jun. 2025.

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