to keep to oneself

Examples

• All

• Mother returned from the doctor's earlier with her own news, which she kept to herself for a couple of days.

  Fiction book (1999)

• Most of the time I just keep to myself.

  Marvin's Room (1996)

• I liked how you kept to yourself.

  The Good Girl (2002)

• But I just really kept to myself... and just tried to get through the day.

  The Bling Ring (2013)

• Some things you need to keep to yourself.

  Fiction book (1996)

• But he just keeps to himself all the time.

  The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

• John had gone back to fishing and was content to keep to himself.

  Fiction book (1998)

• The Jacobson boy pretty much keeps to himself.

  House at the End of the Street (2012)

• He always keeps to himself.

  The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

• If you're shy, sometimes you keep to yourself and don't interact much with others.

  Blog text (2)

Synonyms

K

to keep one's mouth shut

vsto keep to oneself

• Informal

116 5.6

To say nothing to avoid trouble or keep a secret

is about being generally private about thoughts and feelings

H

to hold back

vsto keep to oneself

108 4.2

Keep yourself from showing feelings or telling others

focuses more on general privacy instead of emotional restraint

K

to keep quiet

vsto keep to oneself

90 2.5

To say nothing or not tell a secret

is wider, covering ongoing personal privacy and reserved behaviour

K

to keep a secret

vsto keep to oneself

76 2.6

To not tell anyone private information

is broader, applying to everyday reserved behaviour beyond secrets

K

to keep one's head down

vsto keep to oneself

41 6.3

Avoid getting noticed to stay out of trouble

is inward privacy and reservation rather than merely avoiding attention

K

to keep a low profile

vsto keep to oneself

36 3.9

Act quietly so people do not notice you

is about private feelings and keeping personal information to oneself

S

to shut one's mouth

vsto keep to oneself

• Informal

4 4.4

To stop talking to keep a secret or when told to be quiet

is chosen privacy rather than silence imposed by others

H

to hold one's tongue

vsto keep to oneself

• Informal

3 5.4

To stay silent to avoid saying something rude

is general reservedness, not just avoiding conflict in speech

K

to keep mum

vsto keep to oneself

• Informal

3 7.5

Stay quiet about something private

is broader, meaning overall reservedness not only secrecy

K

to keep one's cards close to one's chest

vsto keep to oneself

• Informal

1 7.6

To not tell people your plans or feelings to get an advantage

is private about feelings and thoughts rather than strategic secrecy

Antonyms

S

to share

711 1.0

To tell someone about your thoughts, feelings or experiences

O

to open up

• Informal

149 2.9

Begin to talk honestly about your thoughts and feelings

How Private

to seclude

2 6.7

to withdraw

466 2.8

to keep to oneself

27 5.4

to keep a secret

76 2.6

to speak openly

7 3.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology