1 B1 neutral
To hold something or someone physically below a surface, such as water.
"He kept the stopper under the water until all the air had escaped from the bottle."
separable
keep under
B2 neutral separable transitive
To hold someone under water or anaesthesia, or to control and suppress a group of people or a problem.
In plain English
To hold something under the surface, or to stop a group of people from having any power.
What does "keep under" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
(Medical) To keep a patient in a state of general anaesthesia during a surgical procedure.
"The anaesthetist kept the patient under for the duration of the four-hour operation."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To control or oppress a person or group, preventing them from gaining power or freedom.
"For generations, colonial rule kept the local population under through economic and social restrictions."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To hold something physically below a surface.
Actually means
To hold something under the surface, or to stop a group of people from having any power.
Usage tip
In a medical context, 'keep someone under' means to maintain a patient under general anaesthesia. Physically, it means to hold something beneath a surface. Figuratively and politically, it means to oppress or suppress a group. Less common than 'keep down' in most contexts.
Words that pair with "keep under"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
anaesthetic control people population water thumb surveillance
How to conjugate "keep under"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
keep under
I/you/we/they
3rd person
keeps under
he/she/it
Past simple
kept under
yesterday
Past participle
kept under
have + pp
-ing form
keeping under
continuous
Hear "keep under" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "keep under" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "keep under"
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Keep exploring
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