withdraw

[with-draw, with-]

verb (used with object)

withdrew, withdrawn, withdrawing. 

1. to draw back, away, or aside; take back; remove.

   She withdrew her hand from his. He withdrew his savings from the bank.

2. to retract or recall.

   to withdraw an untrue charge.

   Synonyms: disavow, rescind, revoke

3. to cause (a person) to undergo withdrawal from addiction to a substance.

verb (used without object)

withdrew, withdrawn, withdrawing. 

1. to go or move back, away, or aside; retire; retreat.

   to withdraw from the room.

2. to remove oneself from some activity, competition, etc..

   He withdrew before I could nominate him.

3. to cease using or consuming an addictive narcotic (followed byfrom ).

   to withdraw from heroin.

4. Parliamentary Procedure.,  to remove an amendment, motion, etc., from consideration.

withdraw

/ wɪðˈdrɔː /

verb

1. (tr) to take or draw back or away; remove

2. (tr) to remove from deposit or investment in a bank, building society, etc

3. (tr) to retract or recall (a statement, promise, etc)

4. (intr) to retire or retreat

   the troops withdrew

5. to back out (of) or depart (from)

   he withdrew from public life

6. (intr) to detach oneself socially, emotionally, or mentally

Other Word Forms

• withdrawable adjective
• withdrawer noun
• withdrawingness noun
• nonwithdrawable adjective
• unwithdrawable adjective
• unwithdrawing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of withdraw¹

First recorded in 1175–1225, withdraw is from the Middle English word withdrawen. See with-, draw

Word History and Origins

Origin of withdraw¹

C13: from _with (in the sense: away from) + _draw

Synonym Study

See depart.

Example Sentences

If they formally approve it, Israel must withdraw its troops from Gaza to the agreed line, a senior White House official told BBC's US partner, CBS News.

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"If we withdraw fully… it's those rights that are going to suffer," says Ms Wistrich, who is also the founder of the Centre for Women's Justice.

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It was only when Israeli forces finally withdrew that Hadeel was reunited with her husband, fragile but alive.

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Number 10's press secretary said on Monday "the suggestion that the government withheld evidence, withdrew witnesses or restricted the ability of a witness to draw on a particular bit of evidence are all untrue".

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The arm injury forced him to withdraw from the US Open after winning his first-round match, but he has been working out regularly at the National Tennis Centre in London in recent weeks.

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Related Words

• depart 
• disengage 
• drop out 
• eliminate 
• go 
• leave 
• pull back 
• pull out 
• quit 
• retire 
• retreat