Word: withheld

Associations

'Withheld' means to not give something that is expected or deserved. It can refer to information, emotions, or physical items.

• Example 1: "The teacher withheld the test results." This means the teacher decided not to share the results with the students.
• Example 2: "He withheld his true feelings." This indicates that he chose not to express what he really felt.
• Example 3: "The company withheld bonuses this year." This means that the company did not give bonuses that usually would be given.

In comparison, a synonym for 'withheld' is 'retained'. The main difference is that 'retained' can mean keeping something without necessarily implying it should have been shared, while 'withheld' emphasizes the action of not giving something that was expected.

Substitution

You might use words like 'kept', 'denied', or 'concealed' instead of 'withheld', but they slightly change the meaning.

• 'Kept' suggests holding onto something willingly, not necessarily implying that it was supposed to be given to someone.
• 'Denied' indicates refusing to allow someone access to something, often with a more aggressive connotation.
• 'Concealed' implies hiding something intentionally.

Deconstruction

The word 'withheld' is formed by the prefix 'with-' meaning away or back, and the root 'held', which comes from 'hold'.

• The structure 'with-' suggests something is being done away from or behind.
• 'Held' is the past tense of 'hold', meaning to keep or maintain in a position. Historically, 'withhold' comes from Middle English, meaning to keep back.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you withheld information from someone? What was the reason?
• How might withholding information affect your relationships?
• Are there situations where you think it is okay to withhold something, like secrets? Why or why not?