Keep vs. Kept — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 27, 2023
Keep is the present tense verb meaning to maintain or hold onto something. Kept is the past tense and past participle of keep.
Difference Between Keep and Kept
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Keep" is primarily used in the present tense. When someone says they "keep" something, they are referring to a current action or state, such as holding onto an object or maintaining a habit. On the other hand, "kept" signifies an action or state that occurred in the past.
When using "keep," it can suggest ongoing or habitual actions. For instance, one might say, "I keep my keys in my pocket." The use of "kept," however, suggests that the action was completed in the past. An example would be, "I kept my keys in the drawer yesterday."
Both "keep" and "kept" can also pertain to the act of maintaining or preserving something. With "keep," this maintenance is ongoing: "I keep the house clean." In contrast, "kept" refers to maintenance that happened in the past: "I kept the house clean while you were away."
"Keep" is a versatile word that can be used in various contexts, like "to keep a promise" or "to keep in touch." Here, the focus is on ongoing or future actions. "Kept," being in the past tense, would indicate that these actions already occurred: "I kept my promise" or "We kept in touch over the years."
In summary, while both "keep" and "kept" relate to retaining or maintaining something, "keep" emphasizes present or future actions, and "kept" highlights past actions.
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Comparison Chart
Tense
Present
Past
Example Usage
I keep the books.
I kept the books.
Part of Speech
Verb (Base form)
Verb (Past form)
Common Context
Habitual actions
Past events
Temporality
Ongoing or Future
Completed
Compare with Definitions
Keep
To maintain possession of
I keep my memories close.
Kept
Continued a specific condition or activity in the past
They kept working despite the challenges.
Keep
To confine or restrain
They keep the dog in the backyard.
Kept
Observed or adhered to in the past
She kept her vow.
Keep
A keep (from the Middle English kype) is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the castle fall to an adversary.
Kept
Confined or restrained previously
He kept the bird in a cage.
Keep
To retain possession of
Kept the change.
Must keep your composure.
Kept
Past action of maintaining possession
She kept her feelings a secret.
Keep
To have as a supply
Keep spare parts in case of emergency.
Kept
Storing or placing in the past
He kept his coat in the closet.
Keep
To provide (a family, for example) with maintenance and support
"There's little to earn and many to keep" (Charles Kingsley).
Kept
Kept is a reality television series that centered on Jerry Hall (model and ex-wife to Mick Jagger) searching for a kept man. The show premiered on the American cable network VH1 in late May 2005.
Keep
To support (a mistress or lover) financially.
Kept
Past tense and past participle of keep.
Keep
To put customarily; store
Where do you keep your saw?.
Kept
Simple past tense and past participle of keep
Keep
To supply with room and board for a charge
Keep boarders.
Kept
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded;
Unbroken promises
Promises kept
Keep
To raise
Keep chickens.
Keep
To maintain for use or service
An urbanite who didn't keep a car.
Keep
To manage, tend, or have charge of
Keep the shop while I'm away.
Keep
To preserve (food).
Keep
To cause to continue in a state, condition, or course of action
Tried to keep the patient calm.
Keep
To maintain records or entries in
Keep a yearly diary.
Keep
To enter (data) in a book
Keep financial records.
Keep
To detain
Was kept after school.
Keep
To restrain
Kept the child away from the stove.
Kept the crowd back with barriers.
Keep
To prevent or deter
Tried to keep the ice from melting.
Keep
To refrain from divulging
Keep a secret.
Keep
To save; reserve
Keep extra money for emergencies.
Keep
To adhere or conform to; follow
Keep late hours.
Keep
To be faithful to; fulfill
Keep one's word.
Keep
To celebrate; observe
Keep the Sabbath.
Keep
To remain in a state or condition; stay
Keep in line.
Keep quiet.
Kept well.
Keep
To continue to do
Keep on talking.
Keep guessing.
Keep
To remain fresh or unspoiled
The dessert won't keep.
Keep
To restrain oneself; hold oneself back
I couldn't keep from eavesdropping.
Keep
Care; charge
The child is in my keep for the day.
Keep
The means by which one is supported
Earn one's keep.
Keep
The stronghold of a castle.
Keep
A jail.
Keep
To continue in (a course or mode of action); to not intermit or fall from; to uphold or maintain.
To keep silence;
To keep possession
Keep
To remain faithful to a given promise or word.
To keep one's word;
To keep one's promise
Keep
(transitive) To hold the status of something.
Keep
To maintain possession of.
I keep a small stock of painkillers for emergencies.
Keep
To maintain the condition of; to preserve in a certain state.
I keep my specimens under glass to protect them.
The abundance of squirrels kept the dogs running for hours.
Keep
(transitive) To record transactions, accounts, or events in.
I used to keep a diary.
Keep
(transitive) To enter (accounts, records, etc.) in a book.
Keep
(archaic) To remain in; to be confined to.
Keep
To restrain.
I keep my pet gerbil away from my brother.
Don't let me keep you; I know you have things to be doing.
Keep
(with from) To watch over, look after, guard, protect.
May the Lord keep you from harm.
Keep
To supply with necessities and financially support (a person).
He kept a mistress for over ten years.
Keep
(of living things) To raise; to care for.
He has been keeping orchids since retiring.
Keep
To refrain from freely disclosing (a secret).
Keep
To maintain (an establishment or institution); to conduct; to manage.
Keep
To have habitually in stock for sale.
Keep
(intransitive) To hold or be held in a state.
Keep
(obsolete) To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.
She kept to her bed while the fever lasted.
Keep
To continue.
I keep taking the tablets, but to no avail.
Keep
To remain edible or otherwise usable.
Potatoes can keep if they are in a root cellar.
Latex paint won't keep indefinitely.
Keep
(copulative) To remain in a state.
The rabbit avoided detection by keeping still.
Keep calm! There's no need to panic.
Keep
(obsolete) To wait for, keep watch for.
Keep
To act as wicket-keeper.
Godfrey Evans kept for England for many years.
Keep
To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.
Keep
To be in session; to take place.
School keeps today.
Keep
(transitive) To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; to not swerve from or violate.
Keep
To visit (a place) often; to frequent.
Keep
To observe or celebrate (a holiday).
The feast of St. Stephen is kept on December 26.
Keep
(historical) The main tower of a castle or fortress, located within the castle walls.
Keep
The food or money required to keep someone alive and healthy; one's support, maintenance.
He works as a cobbler's apprentice for his keep.
Keep
(obsolete) The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge; notice.
Keep
The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case.
To be in good keep
Keep
(obsolete) That which is kept in charge; a charge.
Keep
(engineering) A cap for holding something, such as a journal box, in place.
Keep
To care; to desire.
I kepe not of armes for to yelp [boast].
Keep
To hold; to restrain from departure or removal; not to let go of; to retain in one's power or possession; not to lose; to retain; to detain.
If we lose the field,We can not keep the town.
That I may know what keeps me here with you.
If we would weigh and keep in our minds what we are considering, that would instruct us.
Keep
To cause to remain in a given situation or condition; to maintain unchanged; to hold or preserve in any state or tenor.
His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal.
Keep a stiff rein, and move but gently on.
Keep
To have in custody; to have in some place for preservation; to take charge of.
The crown of Stephanus, first king of Hungary, was always kept in the castle of Vicegrade.
Keep
To preserve from danger, harm, or loss; to guard.
Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee.
Keep
To preserve from discovery or publicity; not to communicate, reveal, or betray, as a secret.
Great are thy virtues . . . though kept from man.
Keep
To attend upon; to have the care of; to tend.
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it.
In her girlish age, she kept sheep on the moor.
Keep
To record transactions, accounts, or events in; as, to keep books, a journal, etc.; also, to enter (as accounts, records, etc. ) in a book.
Keep
To maintain, as an establishment, institution, or the like; to conduct; to manage; as, to keep store.
Like a pedant that keeps a school.
Every one of them kept house by himself.
Keep
To supply with necessaries of life; to entertain; as, to keep boarders.
Keep
To have in one's service; to have and maintain, as an assistant, a servant, a mistress, a horse, etc.
I keep but three men and a boy.
Keep
To have habitually in stock for sale.
Keep
To continue in, as a course or mode of action; not to intermit or fall from; to hold to; to maintain; as, to keep silence; to keep one's word; to keep possession.
Both day and night did we keep company.
Within this portal as I kept my watch.
Keep
To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; not to swerve from or violate; to practice or perform, as duty; not to neglect; to be faithful to.
I have kept the faith.
Him whom to love is to obey, and keepHis great command.
Keep
To confine one's self to; not to quit; to remain in; as, to keep one's house, room, bed, etc.; hence, to haunt; to frequent.
'Tis hallowed ground;Fairies, and fawns, and satyrs do it keep.
Keep
To observe duly, as a festival, etc.; to celebrate; to solemnize; as, to keep a feast.
I went with them to the house of God . . . with a multitude that kept holyday.
Keep
To remain in any position or state; to continue; to abide; to stay; as, to keep at a distance; to keep aloft; to keep near; to keep in the house; to keep before or behind; to keep in favor; to keep out of company, or out reach.
Keep
To last; to endure; to remain unimpaired.
If the malt be not thoroughly dried, the ale it makes will not keep.
Keep
To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.
Knock at his study, where, they say, he keeps.
Keep
To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.
Keep that the lusts choke not the word of God that is in us.
Keep
To be in session; as, school keeps to-day.
Keep
The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge.
Pan, thou god of shepherds all,Which of our tender lambkins takest keep.
Keep
The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case; as, to be in good keep.
Keep
The means or provisions by which one is kept; maintenance; support; as, the keep of a horse.
Grass equal to the keep of seven cows.
I performed some services to the college in return for my keep.
Keep
That which keeps or protects; a stronghold; a fortress; a castle; specifically, the strongest and securest part of a castle, often used as a place of residence by the lord of the castle, especially during a siege; the dungeon. See Illust. of Castle.
The prison strong,Within whose keep the captive knights were laid.
The lower chambers of those gloomy keeps.
I think . . . the keep, or principal part of a castle, was so called because the lord and his domestic circle kept, abode, or lived there.
Keep
That which is kept in charge; a charge.
Often he used of his keepA sacrifice to bring.
Keep
A cap for retaining anything, as a journal box, in place.
Keep
The financial means whereby one lives;
Each child was expected to pay for their keep
He applied to the state for support
He could no longer earn his own livelihood
Keep
The main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or fortress
Keep
A cell in a jail or prison
Keep
Keep in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g.,
Keep clean
Hold in place
She always held herself as a lady
The students keep me on my toes
Keep
Continue a certain state, condition, or activity;
Keep on working!
We continued to work into the night
Keep smiling
We went on working until well past midnight
Keep
Retain possession of;
Can I keep my old stuffed animals?
She kept her maiden name after she married
Keep
Prevent from doing something or being in a certain state;
We must prevent the cancer from spreading
His snoring kept me from falling asleep
Keep the child from eating the marbles
Keep
Conform one's action or practice to;
Keep appointments
She never keeps her promises
We kept to the original conditions of the contract
Keep
Observe correctly or closely;
The pianist kept time with the metronome
Keep count
I cannot keep track of all my employees
Keep
Look after; be the keeper of; have charge of;
He keeps the shop when I am gone
Keep
Maintain by writing regular records;
Keep a diary
Maintain a record
Keep notes
Keep
Supply with room and board;
He is keeping three women in the guest cottage
Keep boarders
Keep
Allow to remain in a place or position;
We cannot continue several servants any longer
She retains a lawyer
The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff
Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on
We kept the work going as long as we could
Keep
Supply with necessities and support;
She alone sustained her family
The money will sustain our good cause
There's little to earn and many to keep
Keep
Fail to spoil or rot;
These potatoes keep for a long time
Keep
Celebrate, as of holidays or rites;
Keep the commandments
Celebrate Christmas
Observe Yom Kippur
Keep
Keep under control; keep in check;
Suppress a smile
Keep your temper
Keep your cool
Keep
Maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger;
May God keep you
Keep
Raise;
She keeps a few chickens in the yard
He keeps bees
Keep
Retain rights to;
Keep my job for me while I give birth
Keep my seat, please
Keep open the possibility of a merger
Keep
Store or keep customarily;
Where do you keep your gardening tools?
Keep
Have as a supply;
I always keep batteries in the freezer
Keep food for a week in the pantry
She keeps a sixpack and a week's worth of supplies in the refrigerator
Keep
Maintain for use and service;
I keep a car in the countryside
She keeps an apartment in Paris for her shopping trips
Keep
Hold and prevent from leaving;
The student was kept after school
Keep
Prevent (food) from rotting;
Preserved meats
Keep potatoes fresh
Keep
To store or place
I keep my shoes under the bed.
Keep
To continue a specified condition or activity
I keep studying every day.
Keep
To observe or adhere to
I keep the rules.
Common Curiosities
What tense is "keep"?
Keep is in the present tense.
Is "kept" only used for actions in the distant past?
No, "kept" can refer to any past action, whether recent or distant.
Is "kept" the past form of "keep"?
Yes, "kept" is the past tense and past participle of "keep."
What is the continuous form of "keep"?
"Keeping." E.g., "I am keeping my room clean."
Do "keep" and "kept" always refer to physical items?
No, they can refer to abstract concepts like promises or secrets.
Can "keep" be used to talk about future actions?
Yes, e.g., "I will keep my promise."
Can "keep" and "kept" be used as nouns?
Generally, they are verbs, but "keep" can be a noun in contexts like "the keep of a castle."
How do you use "keep" in a command?
"Keep quiet!" or "Keep going!"
How is "keep" used in idiomatic expressions?
E.g., "Keep in mind" or "keep your fingers crossed."
What's the infinitive form with "keep"?
"To keep." E.g., "I want to keep learning."
What is the past perfect form with "keep"?
"Had kept." E.g., "She had kept the letter."
Can "kept" be used in passive sentences?
Yes, e.g., "The secret was kept from me."
How do "keep on" and "kept on" differ?
"Keep on" suggests a continuous or repeated action, while "kept on" indicates it was in the past.
Is "kept" always followed by a past participle?
Not always. It can be followed by an infinitive, e.g., "She kept to write daily."
Can "kept" be an adjective?
Yes, in contexts like "a well-kept garden."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
