phrasal verb · neutral
keep back
UK/kiːp bæk/US/kip bæk/KEEP·back
speakingtask2
to hold something or someone in reserve or to withhold information; to prevent from advancing
Examples
“She kept back some facts during the interview.”
“Floodwaters were kept back by the new barrier.”
“He had to keep his emotions back during the speech.”
Band 8 sentence
“Although the manager knew the figures, he kept back the worst projections from the staff to avoid panic.”
Collocations
- keep back information
- keep someone back
- keep emotions back
Word family
keep back phrasal verb (base)keeps back verb (3rd sg)keeping back gerund/present participlekept back past / past participle
Common mistakes
She kept behind the truth.→She kept back the truth.
They kept the water backed by the dam.→They kept the water back with the dam.
Say it for a higher band
5hide→6withhold→7+keep back
Synonyms
withhold
hold back
Easily confused
hold back
“She wanted to cry but she held back her tears.”
Related words
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