withdraw

verb with·draw \ wit͟h-ˈdrȯ , with- \

Updated on: 24 Apr 2018

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withdrew play \wit͟h-ˈdrü, with-\; withdrawn play \wit͟h-ˈdrȯn, with-\; withdrawing play \wit͟h-ˈdrȯ(-)iŋ, with-\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had withdrawn farther and farther into herself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They have withdrawn the charges.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

Unhappy with the quote, Murdoch and 21st Century Fox decided to completely withdraw from acquisition talks.

— andrew liptak, The Verge, "The Disney-21st Century Fox deal: a timeline," 20 Apr. 2018
Investigators say Riess promptly used Hutchinson’s ID and credit card to withdraw $5,000 from the dead woman’s bank account.

— gabriella paiella, The Cut, "‘Gambling Grandma’ Accused of Killing Two People Arrested in Texas," 20 Apr. 2018
The woman, whose name is on her mother's account, said someone used an ATM on West Bagley Road to withdraw $800 in four transactions between Feb. 5 and April 2.

— bob sandrick, cleveland.com, "Police find pills on driver with suspended license; $800 stolen from checking account: Berea police blotter," 19 Apr. 2018
The new regulation also provides individuals with the right to examine the data an organization has collected about them, the right to request the erasure of that information, and the right to withdraw their consent at any time.

— mike chapple, Fortune, "Commentary: How to Really Protect Your Digital Privacy: Move to Europe," 17 Apr. 2018
Wood was nominated by President Bill Clinton to be Attorney General in 1993, but she was forced to withdraw.

— tessa berenson, Time, "Who Is Kimba Wood? Meet the Federal Judge Overseeing the Michael Cohen Case," 17 Apr. 2018
South Carolina threatened to withdraw from the Union entirely.

— ryan p. smith, Smithsonian, "A History of America’s Ever-Shifting Stance on Tariffs," 13 Apr. 2018
Jaish al-Islam – finally agreed to withdraw from the town.

— author: tom perry, dahlia nehme, Anchorage Daily News, "Russia warns that any U.S. missiles fired at Syria will be shot down," 11 Apr. 2018
The annual march has gathered steam since the inauguration of President Trump, whose critics accuse him of harboring a skepticism of climate change science that led him to withdraw from the Paris Accords and roll back environmental protections.

— matthew ormseth, courant.com, "'March For Science' and Second Amendment Rally Set For Saturday In Hartford," 11 Apr. 2018

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

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

withdraw Synonyms

WITHDRAW Defined for English Language Learners

withdraw

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

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

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