keep tabs on
Meaning
To monitor or track someone/something closely to stay informed and in control.
Origin
From βtabsβ meaning small slips/markers used to keep track of items, and later bar/restaurant βtabsβ (accounts) that were kept to track what was owed; by the early 1900s it broadened to mean monitoring or keeping track of anything.
Notes
Implies ongoing monitoring/keeping track. With people, it can sound like surveillance or control depending on context. Common in both casual and business English.
Examples
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I use a spreadsheet to keep tabs on my monthly expenses.
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The manager asked me to keep tabs on the project timeline and flag any delays.
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Parents often keep tabs on their kids' screen time during the school week.
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Our security team keeps tabs on unusual login attempts.
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She keeps tabs on her favorite band by following their social media updates.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as: keep tabs on + noun/pronoun (keep tabs on progress/the kids/the competition). Tense changes on keep (kept tabs on, keeping tabs on). Article is fixed as plural βtabsβ; not *keep a tab on*.
Synonyms
- keep an eye on
- monitor
- track
- watch
- keep track of
Antonyms
- ignore
- lose track of
- overlook