withdraw

play

verb with·draw \ wit͟h-ˈdrȯ , with- \

Definition of withdraw

withdrew play \wit͟h-ˈdrü, with-\; withdrawn play \wit͟h-ˈdrȯn, with-\; withdrawing play \wit͟h-ˈdrȯ(-)iŋ, with-\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had withdrawn farther and farther into herself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

play \wit͟h-ˈdrȯ-ə-bəl, with-\ adjective

See withdraw defined for English-language learners

See withdraw defined for kids

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They have withdrawn the charges.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 of withdraw from the Web

In El Salvador, donors working alongside the United Nations threatened to withdraw aid from the government when force demobilization came more slowly than the terms of the peace agreement.

— aila m. matanock, Washington Post, "The FARC just became a Colombian political party. Here’s why elections are critical to a lasting peace.," 30 Aug. 2017
Freeport delayed the switch, prompting the Indonesian government to withdraw Freeport’s export permit for copper in January, and resulting in a partial shutdown of the Grasberg mine for a few months.

— jon emont, New York Times, "Freeport to Give Indonesia a Majority Stake in Its Grasberg Mine," 29 Aug. 2017
If the sentencing assessment report recommends more than probation for Piercy, his attorney has asked that the trooper be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea.

— laura bauer, kansascity, "After judge reschedules, Brandon Ellingson’s dad will be there when trooper sentenced," 29 Aug. 2017
At the core of these cases is consent, which UC defines as informed, freely given, mutual, and able to be withdrawn at any time.

— kate murphy, Cincinnati.com, "One night changes lives, puts colleges on the spot," 24 Aug. 2017
Threats to withdraw U.S. military aid entirely aren’t going to have much impact, since the U.S. needs Pakistan for its broader efforts in South Asia, Rizvi said.

— iain marlow, Bloomberg.com, "With Chinese Support, Pakistan Can Ignore Trump on Afghanistan," 23 Aug. 2017
While his siblings settled into their new home, Shep withdrew.

— kim brooks, The Cut, "Parents Who Pay to Be Watched," 22 Aug. 2017
In 2013, Trump tweeted support for withdrawing from Afghanistan, where the U.S. had been engaged in war since 2001.

— brittney mcnamara, Teen Vogue, "Former Northwestern Professor Accused of Murder Reportedly Acted on a Fantasy," 21 Aug. 2017
Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan Value: Withdrawn varietal (has four songs not contained on subsequent releases), $10,000-$20,000 4.

— taysha murtaugh, Country Living, "If You Have Any of These Records, You Could Be Sitting on a Gold Mine," 17 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'withdraw.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of withdraw

Middle English, from with from + drawen to draw

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

withdraw Synonyms

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

advance

Related Words

flee, fly; flinch, recoil, shrink; chicken (out); bow out; back down, backpedal, backtrack, climb down; detach, disengage, disentangle, pull away; abandon, depart, evacuate, go, leave, quit, vacate

Near Antonyms

beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave

WITHDRAW Defined for English Language Learners

withdraw

play

verb

Definition of withdraw for English Language Learners

: to remove (money) from a bank account
: to take (something) back so that it is no longer available
: to take back (something that is spoken, offered, etc.)

WITHDRAW Defined for Kids

withdraw

play

verb with·draw \ wit͟h-ˈdrȯ , with- \

Definition of withdraw for Students

withdrew \-ˈdrü\; withdrawn \-ˈdrȯn\; withdrawing

1 :to draw back :take away

I withdrew money from the bank.

2 :to take back (as something said or suggested) After reconsidering, I withdrew my complaint.

3 :to go away especially for privacy or safety

… warriors had withdrawn to the valley.
—Lloyd Alexander, Time Cat

Medical Dictionary

withdraw

play

verb with·draw \ wit͟h-ˈdrȯ , with- \

medical Definition of withdraw

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

transitive verb

:to discontinue use or administration of

withdraw a drug

intransitive verb

:to become socially or emotionally detached

Law Dictionary

withdraw

verb with·draw

legal Definition of withdraw

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