draw·down
ˈdrȯ-ˌdau̇n 
1
: a lowering of a water level (as in a reservoir)
2
a
: the process of depleting
b
drew down; drawn down; drawing down; draws down
: to deplete by using or spending
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Verb
I drew down my bank account just paying for tuition.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner, 8 May 2023
Wagers are being placed on the Cboe Volatility Index, or VIX, jumping to levels typically seen during a major stock-market drawdown.
—Eric Wallerstein, WSJ, 17 Feb. 2023
Among other changes, this sunset, combined with the drawdown of most federal relief money, would shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2023
But that aid included $350 million in presidential drawdown authority, and another $650 million under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides funding for training, equipment and other security needs that can be bought from other countries or companies.
—Ellen Knickmeyer And Lolita C. Baldor, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Aug. 2022
Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who opposed Trump’s drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan below 4,500 and who was fired by Trump in part over his opposition to Trump’s Afghanistan policy, took issue with the argument that Biden’s hands were essentially tied by Trump.
—Jamie Mcintyre, Washington Examiner, 7 Apr. 2023
The report does fault overly optimistic intelligence community assessments about the Afghan army’s willingness to fight, and says Biden followed military commanders’ recommendations for the pacing of the drawdown of US forces.
—Zeke Miller And Nomaan Merchant, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Apr. 2023
The full commitment of assistance announced on Friday is more than $3.75 billion, which consists of the $2.85 billion drawdown, and another nearly $1 billion in foreign military financing for Ukraine and other countries impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
—Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2023
International investors pulled about $7.9 billion from China's equity markets in October through the Stock Connect program, the second-largest monthly drawdown in the history of the trading link.
—Rebecca Feng, WSJ, 31 Oct. 2022
Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 20 Nov. 2022
Depositors with less than $250,000 limit set by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation are far less likely to draw down their money at the first sign of trouble.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 10 Apr. 2023
That would require drawing down the $2 billion Constitutional Budget Reserve.
—Sean Maguire, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Apr. 2023
When depositors started to draw down their deposits, SVB had to sell these securities at a lower value and was forced to raise capital to cover the shortfall.
—Philipp Carlsson-szlezak, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2023
Scientists have found that in recent years the pace of groundwater depletion has accelerated as agricultural pumping has drawn down aquifer levels.
—Ian Jamesstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2023
Growth in Oregon bank deposits are at a five year low, according to federal data, as consumers draw down their savings to cope with rising inflation.
—oregonlive, 11 Dec. 2022
Russian deep strikes meanwhile are getting less accurate as the Russians draw down their pre-war stockpiles of modern missiles.
—David Axe, Forbes, 6 July 2022
Property can act as a nest egg in retirement as people draw down equity to supplement their income.
—Stephen Wright, WSJ, 31 Mar. 2022
See More
Noun
Republican leadership has asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the effects of President Joe Biden's large-scale emergency oil drawdowns on the structural and strategic integrity of the nation's oil reserves.
—Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner, 8 May 2023
Wagers are being placed on the Cboe Volatility Index, or VIX, jumping to levels typically seen during a major stock-market drawdown.
—Eric Wallerstein, WSJ, 17 Feb. 2023
Among other changes, this sunset, combined with the drawdown of most federal relief money, would shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2023
But that aid included $350 million in presidential drawdown authority, and another $650 million under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides funding for training, equipment and other security needs that can be bought from other countries or companies.
—Ellen Knickmeyer And Lolita C. Baldor, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Aug. 2022
Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who opposed Trump’s drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan below 4,500 and who was fired by Trump in part over his opposition to Trump’s Afghanistan policy, took issue with the argument that Biden’s hands were essentially tied by Trump.
—Jamie Mcintyre, Washington Examiner, 7 Apr. 2023
The report does fault overly optimistic intelligence community assessments about the Afghan army’s willingness to fight, and says Biden followed military commanders’ recommendations for the pacing of the drawdown of US forces.
—Zeke Miller And Nomaan Merchant, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Apr. 2023
The full commitment of assistance announced on Friday is more than $3.75 billion, which consists of the $2.85 billion drawdown, and another nearly $1 billion in foreign military financing for Ukraine and other countries impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
—Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2023
International investors pulled about $7.9 billion from China's equity markets in October through the Stock Connect program, the second-largest monthly drawdown in the history of the trading link.
—Rebecca Feng, WSJ, 31 Oct. 2022
Verb
Yuma irrigation districts enjoy some of the river's oldest rights and, unlike their counterparts in Wyoming, always had ample storage to draw down.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 20 Nov. 2022
Depositors with less than $250,000 limit set by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation are far less likely to draw down their money at the first sign of trouble.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 10 Apr. 2023
That would require drawing down the $2 billion Constitutional Budget Reserve.
—Sean Maguire, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Apr. 2023
When depositors started to draw down their deposits, SVB had to sell these securities at a lower value and was forced to raise capital to cover the shortfall.
—Philipp Carlsson-szlezak, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2023
Scientists have found that in recent years the pace of groundwater depletion has accelerated as agricultural pumping has drawn down aquifer levels.
—Ian Jamesstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2023
Growth in Oregon bank deposits are at a five year low, according to federal data, as consumers draw down their savings to cope with rising inflation.
—oregonlive, 11 Dec. 2022
Russian deep strikes meanwhile are getting less accurate as the Russians draw down their pre-war stockpiles of modern missiles.
—David Axe, Forbes, 6 July 2022
Property can act as a nest egg in retirement as people draw down equity to supplement their income.
—Stephen Wright, WSJ, 31 Mar. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drawdown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near drawdown
Cite this Entry
“Drawdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drawdown. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.
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