What does withheld mean?
Withheld is the past tense and past participle of withhold, meaning that something was kept back rather than disclosed, released, or granted. Its most common use concerns information: a person or organization may withhold details, evidence, or an answer. It can also describe money or an official entitlement that was not paid or approved, as in withheld payment or withheld consent. The word frequently appears in journalism, legal proceedings, business correspondence, and official announcements, where it may indicate caution, confidentiality, secrecy, or a deliberate decision not to act. In everyday conversation, people sometimes use it to suggest that someone is being evasive. Because withheld combines the idea of holding something back with the ordinary sense of conceal or keep secret, it is useful when the fact of non-disclosure or non-payment needs to be stated clearly and professionally.
Kept back, concealed, or refused to disclose, give, or grant.
"The spokesperson withheld further comment after being asked about the investigation."
The past tense and past participle of withhold; particularly common in formal and legal contexts.
Kept back, hidden, or not disclosed, given, or granted.
"The report contained withheld financial information that had not been made public."
Less common as a standalone adjective than as part of a noun phrase such as withheld information or withheld payment.
Withheld can describe a secret kept private, a payment not released, or an answer deliberately left unshared.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does withheld come from?
Withheld is the past tense and past participle of withhold. The verb combines with-, meaning back or away, with hold, expressing the idea of keeping something back; its Middle English development was influenced by Old English withhealdan. Words such as hold, holder, and sharing the same underlying root preserve the basic sense of gripping or keeping.
Related word forms
How withheld is actually used
Withheld is most often encountered in formal reporting, legal contexts, and business communication. It can sound neutral and factual, but it may also imply deliberate secrecy or obstruction. The word is especially common in phrases such as withheld information and withheld consent.
Easily confused with withheld
Withheld means kept back or not disclosed, whereas withstood means resisted or endured.