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; withdrawn wit͟h-ˈdrȯn 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had withdrawn farther and farther into herself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They have withdrawn the charges.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

No breach between the two countries has been as wide or as deep since the mid-1950s, when the Eisenhower administration compelled Israel to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula. —Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024

The Palestinian Authority was thrown out of Gaza by Hamas almost two years after Israel withdrew its troops and dismantled its settlements there in 2005. —USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024

Beard has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Arkansas job and is staying at Ole Miss, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported. —Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 5 Apr. 2024

The investments appeared to show tremendous returns, but when the victims tried to withdraw substantial sums they were blocked from their accounts and lost their entire investment, authorities say. —Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2024

The mechanics have changed with the circumstances—from 1948 to 1967, Gaza was controlled by Egypt; following the Six-Day War, Israel occupied the area—but only in 2007 did food become a serious controversy, two years after Israel withdrew its troops and settlers. —Karl Vick, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024

The magazine withdrew the story and settled out of court. —Lachlan Cartwright, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024

Two finalists for the job eventually withdrew their applications, and Morris slotted the high-school principal, Talib Sadiq, into the role. —Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2024

The Israeli military has withdrawn from Gaza's main hospital after a two-week raid. —NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from with from + drawen to draw

First Known Use

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

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