kept

Definition of keptnext
past tense of keep
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as in stored
to place somewhere for safekeeping or ready availability I keep extra toothbrushes for unexpected overnight guests

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in maintained
to pay the living expenses of agreed to keep both of their children in off-campus housing until they graduated and found jobs

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 kept The breaks kept coming for Orlando. Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2026 Trump kept a straight face during Obama’s speech, and at one point even waved during the president’s remarks. Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026 The city fixed one-way fares at 5 cents, which was good for working-class passengers but kept the streetcar companies operating on a razor-thin profit margin. Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2026 Instead, his car kept pulling toward the West Side Highway on the edge of the borough. Robert Ferris,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2026 Head coach Joe Mazzulla kept Queta on the bench for the entire fourth quarter Friday night, choosing to roll with veteran backup Nikola Vucevic (11 points, six rebounds, four assists, three blocks, four turnovers in 31 minutes). Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026 And the messages just kept coming. Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026 The Nationals kept Murakami in the yard Saturday. Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026 All calls will be kept confidential. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kept
Verb
  • Last season, the team also had 15 seniors who celebrated graduation in their caps and gowns after winning the 6A title.
    Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
  • In the spring of 1986, Nataliia and Valerii celebrated their fifteenth wedding anniversary.
    Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Cakenhagen, a café that doles out beautiful pastries; and the historic Grøften restaurant, which has retained its good vibes since 1874.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The pitching department was largely spared and assistant hitting coach John Soteropulos was the only member of the hitting group retained.
    Mac Cerullo, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The grand Denver Derby Party is calling it quits, having fulfilled its mission of raising $5 million for the Sean Ranch Lough Foundation.
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The fun of the strategic planning, the beautiful and unique backdrop and the mix of Pitch Pines, maples and all kinds of other New England flora would leave me fulfilled lower score or not.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • All of it is encrypted, and some of it could be stored by actors anticipating that current encryption methods may become less effective over time.
    Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
  • When the effluent isn’t treated or is improperly stored, the chemicals can seep into groundwater and waterways, contaminating aquifers and rivers.
    Abraham Nunbogu, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Throughout the late couple’s six decades of ownership, the original mid-century design and craftsmanship were meticulously maintained.
    Sandra Barrera, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The indictment says that in exchange for money, the soldiers maintained contact with Iranian intelligence operatives over a few months and carried out a range of tasks under their direction.
    Sean Nevin, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Vivian explained that competition was so fierce, and budgets managed so tightly, that no producer could afford to extend filming by even a day.
    Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • For a team that managed only three runs in the entire series against the Yankees and that hasn’t overcome more than a one-run deficit in a win, the early 4-0 hole felt insurmountable.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The authors argued that the typical American diet contained excessive calories and fat and lacked sufficient amounts of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Burick and one of his students assemble the base for one of ENIAC’s three portable function tables, which contained banks of switches that stored numerical constants.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Nataliia, protected by the walls of her hallway bunker, was mostly unscathed.
    Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Colbert lambasted the dinner hosts, too, suggesting Washington media protected the Bush administration.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Kept.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kept. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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