Synonyms of withdrawing

withdrawing

verb

present participle of withdraw

1

as in retreating

to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)

the army was forced to withdraw from the line of battle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• retreating
• retiring
• fleeing
• evacuating
• receding
• pulling out
• falling back
• giving way
• losing ground
• backing away
• dropping back
• leaving
• flying
• detaching
• recoiling
• shrinking
• giving ground
• flinching
• abandoning
• departing
• going
• disengaging
• vacating
• disentangling
• backtracking
• quitting
• climbing down
• pulling away
• backing down
• backpedaling
• bowing out
• chickening (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• advancing
• confronting
• facing
• defying
• daring
• breasting
• braving
• brazening
• bearding
• outbraving

2

as in retracting

to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)

withdrew the offer of surrender upon hearing the terms

Synonyms & Similar Words

• retracting
• renouncing
• denying
• repealing
• abandoning
• contradicting
• relinquishing
• refuting
• recanting
• repudiating
• reneging
• abjuring
• taking back
• forswearing
• recalling
• forsaking
• abnegating
• unsaying
• disowning
• revoking
• spurning
• disavowing
• surrendering
• negating
• disclaiming
• disputing
• controverting
• rebutting
• disproving
• disallowing
• disagreeing (with)
• negativing
• backtracking
• bolting
• giving up
• backing off
• backing down
• gainsaying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• maintaining
• stating
• claiming
• declaring
• asserting
• admitting
• acknowledging
• adhering (to)
• affirming
• supporting
• contending
• defending
• proclaiming
• confirming
• endorsing
• accepting
• professing
• adopting
• backing
• upholding
• embracing
• vowing
• avowing
• vouching
• espousing

3

as in removing

to take away from a place or position

withdrew her hand from the table

Synonyms & Similar Words

• removing
• pulling
• drawing
• extracting
• taking out
• dislodging
• clearing
• moving
• shifting
• transferring
• abstracting
• cutting
• displacing
• drawing out
• drawing off
• transposing
• demounting
• dislocating
• disturbing
• budging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• putting
• placing
• positioning
• mounting
• securing
• clamping
• setting
• fixing
• anchoring
• implanting
• embedding
• hitching
• mooring
• sticking
• rooting
• lodging
• situating
• entrenching
• setting up
• siting
• ingraining

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of withdrawing

Daines later said withdrawing earlier could have enticed a prominent Democrat like Tester to enter the race. —Kirk Siegler, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026

Chock and Bates decided not to pursue a fourth straight ice dance world championship, joining Olympic teammate Alysa Liu in withdrawing from the worlds, a common decision for skaters who compete at the Winter Games. —ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026

Even so, formally withdrawing the subpoena would amount to a serious climbdown from Comer. —Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 19 Mar. 2026

Consider withdrawing $150,000 to buy the land then, wait to pull the next $150,000 in the next year. —Medora Lee, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026

Spurs imploded away to Atletico, also losing 5-2 and withdrawing their goalkeeper after going three down in 15 minutes. —James Horncastle, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026

After 50 years of providing medical care to Guyana and Jamaica nationals, Cuba is withdrawing its doctors and other health specialists that have been a cornerstone of Caribbean healthcare. —Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026

Arguing that having a public apology circulating online would be unfair to their client, his attorneys instead handed Rose a paper note containing the apology before quickly withdrawing it. —Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026

And naive, especially after the Soviet Union spent a decade fighting in Afghanistan to put communist allies in charge, before withdrawing its troops in 1989 amid failure. —Jill Lawrence, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026