withdraw

verb

with·​draw wit͟h-ˈdrȯ 

with-

withdrew wit͟h-ˈdrü 

with-

; withdrawn wit͟h-ˈdrȯn 

with-

; withdrawing wit͟h-ˈdrȯ(-)iŋ 

with-

transitive verb

1

a

: to take back or away : remove

pressure upon educational administrators to withdraw academic credit

—J. W. Scott

b

: to remove from use or cultivation

c

: to remove (money) from a place of deposit

d

: to turn away (something, such as one's eyes) from an object of attention

withdrew her gaze

e

: to draw (something, such as a curtain) back or aside

2

a

: to remove from consideration or set outside a group

withdrew his name from the list of nominees

withdrew their child from the school

b(1)

: take back, retract

(2)

: to recall or remove (a motion) under parliamentary procedure

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move back or away : retire

b

: to draw back from a battlefield : retreat

2

a

: to remove oneself from participation

b

: to become socially or emotionally detached

had withdrawn farther and farther into herself

—Ethel Wilson

3

: to recall a motion under parliamentary procedure

withdrawable

wit͟h-ˈdrȯ-ə-bəl 

with-

adjective

Synonyms

• back away
• drop back
• fall back
• pull out
• recede
• retire
• retreat

Examples of withdraw in a Sentence

She withdrew $200 from her checking account.

The prosecutor withdrew her question to the witness.

They have withdrawn the charges.

withdraw support for a candidate

Recent Examples on the Web

Martin withdrew from consideration for the post that requires Senate confirmation and Trump named him to a Justice Department post instead. —Bart Jansen, USA Today, 20 May 2025

Fisher Scientific withdrew its full-year profit forecast while the medical equipment maker expects to take a $400 million hit in sales to China, as Trump’s tariffs would likely raise the cost of parts the company sources in China. —Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025

According to authorities, the available funds would then be withdrawn from the depositing account. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2025

There’s a term for it, glass children, children withdraw into themselves, become invisible so as not to add to the family’s problems. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 17 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from with from + drawen to draw

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for withdraw

• aa
• aha
• bashaw
• bradshaw
• byelaw
• bylaw
• chainsaw
• cheraw
• coleslaw
• crenshaw
• dada
• esau

Kids Definition

withdraw

verb

with·​draw wit͟h-ˈdrȯ 

with-

withdrew -ˈdrü  ; withdrawn -ˈdrȯn  ; withdrawing -ˈdrȯ(-)iŋ 

1

: to take back or away : draw away : remove

withdraw money from the bank

2

a

: to call back : recall

withdrew the charge of theft

b

: to take back (one's words) : retract

3

: to go away : retreat

withdrew to the country

Medical Definition

withdraw

verb

with·​draw wit͟h-ˈdrȯ  with- 

withdrew -ˈdrü  ; withdrawn -ˈdrȯn  ; withdrawing -ˈdrȯ(-)iŋ 

transitive verb

: to discontinue use or administration of

withdraw a drug

intransitive verb

: to become socially or emotionally detached

Legal Definition

withdraw

verb

with·​draw

withdrew; withdrawn; withdrawing

transitive verb

1

: to remove (money) from a place of deposit or investment

2

: to dismiss (a juror) from a jury

3

a

: to eliminate from consideration or set outside a category or group

withdraw his candidacy

b

: to cease to proceed with

withdrew the question after an objection was sustained

c

: to take back

withdraw a plea

d

: to remove (a motion) from consideration under parliamentary procedure

intransitive verb

1

: to remove oneself from participation

withdraw from a case

specifically : to cease participation in a conspiracy by an affirmative act of renunciation especially involving confession to the authorities or communication of abandonment to co-conspirators

2

: to remove a motion from consideration under parliamentary procedure