draw

American  

[draw] / drɔ /

verb (used with object)

draws, present (3rd person singular) drew, past drawn, past participle drawing present participle

1. to cause to move in a particular direction by or as if by a pulling force; pull; drag (often followed by along, away, in, out, oroff ).

   Synonyms:

   tow, tug

2. to bring, take, or pull out, as from a receptacle or source.

   to draw water from a well.

3. to bring toward oneself or itself, as by inherent force or influence; attract.

   The concert drew a large audience.

4. to sketch (someone or something) in lines or words; delineate; depict.

   to draw a vase with charcoal; to draw the comedy's characters with skill.

5. to compose or create (a picture) in lines.

6. to mark or lay out; trace.

   to draw perpendicular lines.

7. to frame or formulate.

   to draw a distinction.

8. to write out in legal form (sometimes followed byup ).

   Draw up the contract.

9. to inhale or suck in.

   to draw liquid through a straw.

10. to derive or use, as from a source.

    to draw inspiration from Shakespeare.

11. to deduce; infer.

    to draw a conclusion.

12. to get, take, or receive, as from a source.

    to draw interest on a savings account; to draw a salary of $600 a week.

13. to withdraw funds from a drawing account, especially against future commissions on sales.

14. to produce; bring in.

    The deposits draw interest.

15. to disembowel.

    to draw a turkey.

16. to drain.

    to draw a pond.

17. to pull out to full or greater length; make by attenuating; stretch.

    to draw filaments of molten glass.

18. to bend (a bow) by pulling back its string in preparation for shooting an arrow.

19. to choose or to have assigned to one at random, by or as by picking an unseen number, item, etc..

    Let's draw straws to see who has to wash the car.

20. Metalworking. to form or reduce the sectional area of (a wire, tube, etc.) by pulling through a die.

21. to wrinkle or shrink by contraction.

22. Medicine/Medical. to cause to discharge.

    to draw an abscess by a poultice.

23. to obtain (rations, clothing, equipment, weapons, or ammunition) from an issuing agency, as an army quartermaster.

24. Nautical. (of a vessel) to need (a specific depth of water) to float.

    She draws six feet.

25. to leave (a contest) undecided; finish with neither side winning, as in a tie.

26. Cards.

    1. to take or be dealt (a card or cards) from the pack.

    2. Bridge. to remove the outstanding cards in (a given suit) by leading that suit.

       He had to draw spades first in order to make the contract.

27. Billiards. to cause (a cue ball) to recoil after impact by giving it a backward spin on the stroke.

28. Northeastern U.S. (chiefly New England). to haul; cart.

29. Hunting. to search (a covert) for game.

30. Cricket. to play (a ball) with a bat held at an angle in order to deflect the ball between the wicket and the legs.

31. Curling. to slide (the stone) gently.

32. to steep (tea) in boiling water.

33. to form or shape (glass) as it comes from the furnace by stretching.

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verb (used without object)

draws, present (3rd person singular) drew, past drawn, past participle drawing present participle

1. to exert a pulling, moving, or attracting force.

   A sail draws by being properly trimmed and filled with wind.

2. to move or pass, especially slowly or continuously, as under a pulling force (often followed by on, off, out, etc.).

   The day draws near.

3. to take out a sword, pistol, etc., for action.

4. to hold a drawing, lottery, or the like.

   to draw for prizes.

5. to sketch or to trace figures; create a picture or depict by sketching.

6. to be skilled in or practice the art of sketching.

   I can't paint, but I can draw.

7. to shrink or contract (often followed byup ).

8. to make a demand (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to draw on one's imagination.

9. Medicine/Medical.

   1. to act as an irritant; cause blisters.

   2. to cause blood, pus, or the like to gather at a specific point.

10. to produce or permit a draft, as a pipe or flue.

11. to leave a contest undecided; tie.

12. Hunting. (of a hound)

    1. to search a covert for game.

    2. to follow a game animal by its scent.

13. to attract customers, an audience, etc..

    Our newspaper advertisement drew very well.

14. to pull back the string of a bow in preparation for shooting an arrow.

noun

draws plural

1. an act of drawing.

2. something that attracts customers, an audience, etc.

3. something that is moved by being drawn, as the movable part of a drawbridge.

4. something that is chosen or drawn at random, as a lot or chance.

5. drawing.

6. a contest that ends in a tie; an undecided contest.

7. Also called draw play.  Football. a play in which the quarterback fades as if to pass and then hands the ball to a back, usually the fullback, who is running toward the line of scrimmage.

8. Poker.

   1. a card or cards taken or dealt from the pack.

   2. draw poker.

9. Physical Geography.

   1. a small, natural drainageway with a shallow bed; gully.

   2. the dry bed of a stream.

   3. Chiefly Western U.S. a coulee; ravine.

10. the pull necessary to draw a bow to its full extent.

11. an amount regularly drawn, as from a drawing account.

12. a fund, as an expense account or credit line, from which money may be withdrawn when needed.

13. Horology. the tendency of a tooth of an escape wheel to force toward the center of the wheel a pallet engaging with it.

verb phrase

1. draw away

   1. to move or begin to move away.

      He drew his hand away from the hot stove.

   2. to move farther ahead.

      The lead runner gradually drew away from his competitor.

2. draw ahead

   1. to gradually pass something moving in the same direction.

   2. Nautical. (of the wind) to blow from a direction closer to that in which a vessel is moving; haul forward.

3. draw on

   1. to come nearer; approach.

      He sensed winter drawing on.

   2. to clothe oneself in.

      She drew on her cape and gloves.

   3. Nautical. (of a vessel) to gain on (another vessel).

   4. to utilize or make use of, especially as a source.

      The biography has drawn heavily on personal interviews.

4. draw off to move back or away.

5. draw down to deplete or be depleted through use or consumption.

   to draw down crude-oil supplies.

6. draw in

   1. to cause to take part or enter, especially unwittingly.

      I heard them debating the point, but I avoided being drawn in.

   2. to make a rough sketch of.

      to draw in a person's figure against the landscape background.

7. draw up

   1. to devise or formulate; draft, especially in legal form or as a formal proposal.

      to draw up a will.

   2. to put into position; arrange in order or formation.

      The officer drew up his men.

   3. to bring or come to a stop; halt.

      Their car drew up at the curb.

8. draw out

   1. to pull out; remove.

   2. to prolong; lengthen.

   3. to persuade to speak.

      You'll find she's quite interesting if you take the trouble to draw her out.

   4. Nautical. (of a vessel) to move away from (sometimes followed byfrom ).

      The boat drew out from the wharf.

   5. to take (money) from a place of deposit.

      She drew her money out of the bank and invested it in bonds.

idioms

1. luck of the draw. luck.

2. beat to the draw, to react quicker than an opponent.

3. draw oneself up, to assume an erect posture.

draw British  

/ drɔː /

verb

1. to cause (a person or thing) to move towards or away by pulling

2. to bring, take, or pull (something) out, as from a drawer, holster, etc

3. (tr) to extract or pull or take out

   to draw teeth

   to draw a card from a pack

4. to take (liquid) out of a cask, keg, tank, etc, by means of a tap

5. (intr) to move, go, or proceed, esp in a specified direction

   to draw alongside

6. (tr) to attract or elicit

   to draw a crowd

   draw attention

7. (tr) to cause to flow

   to draw blood

8. to depict or sketch (a form, figure, picture, etc) in lines, as with a pencil or pen, esp without the use of colour; delineate

9. (tr) to make, formulate, or derive

   to draw conclusions, comparisons, parallels

10. (tr) to write (a legal document) in proper form

11. to suck or take in (air, liquid, etc)

    to draw a breath

12. (intr) to induce or allow a draught to carry off air, smoke, etc

    the flue draws well

13. (tr) to take or receive from a source

    to draw money from the bank

14. (tr) to earn

    draw interest

15. (tr) finance to write out (a bill of exchange or promissory note)

    to draw a cheque

16. (tr) to choose at random

    to draw lots

17. (tr) to reduce the diameter of (a wire or metal rod) by pulling it through a die

18. (tr) to shape (a sheet of metal or glass) by rolling, by pulling it through a die or by stretching

19. archery to bend (a bow) by pulling the string

20. to steep (tea) or (of tea) to steep in boiling water

21. (tr) to disembowel

    draw a chicken

22. (tr) to cause (pus, blood, etc) to discharge from an abscess or wound

23. (intr) (of two teams, contestants, etc) to finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc; tie

24. (tr) bridge whist to keep leading a suit in order to force out (all outstanding cards)

25. bridge whist to play the trump suit until the opponents have none left

26. (tr) billiards to cause (the cue ball) to spin back after a direct impact with another ball by applying backspin when making the stroke

27. (tr) to search (a place) in order to find wild animals, game, etc, for hunting

28. golf to cause (a golf ball) to move with a controlled right-to-left trajectory or (of a golf ball) to veer gradually from right to left

29. (tr) curling to deliver (the stone) gently

30. (tr) nautical (of a vessel) to require (a certain depth) in which to float

31. to get no results from something

32. to disembowel and dismember (a person) after hanging

33. cricket to close play, as by pulling out the stumps

34. See line 1

35. See short straw

36. bowls to deliver the bowl in such a way that it approaches the jack

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noun

1. the act of drawing

2. a sum of money advanced to finance anticipated expenses

3. an event, occasion, act, etc, that attracts a large audience

4. a raffle or lottery

5. something taken or chosen at random, as a ticket in a raffle or lottery

6. a contest or game ending in a tie

7. a small natural drainage way or gully

8. a defect found in metal castings due to the contraction of the metal on solidification

draw More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing draw

• back to the drawing board
• beat to it (the draw)
• daggers drawn
• luck of the draw
• quick on the draw

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Usage

What is a basic definition of draw? The verb draw means to sketch something using lines. Draw also means to pull something out of its resting place or to attract something. Draw is also a tied competition. Draw has many other senses as a verb and a noun. In the artistic sense, drawing something usually means to create an image of it using paper and pencil, crayons, pen, or similar. If you were asked to draw a cat, for example, you would try your best to create a picture of something that resembles a cat. The work of art that a person creates from doing this is called a drawing.

• Real-life examples: Artists draw many images as part of their art or job. Children like to draw pictures in art class. Police will sometimes draw a witness’s description of a suspect's face to create wanted posters.
• Used in a sentence: The girl drew butterflies on the sidewalk using chalk. 

Draw is also used as a verb to mean to pull or extract something from where it is contained.

• Real-life examples: Police officers hope they don’t have to draw their guns from their holsters. Wells are used to draw water and oil from the ground. A nurse draws blood from a patient using a syringe.
• Used in a sentence: The knight drew his sword and prepared to fight the dragon. 

Draw is also used to mean to attract something or bring something closer.

• Real-life examples: Exciting shows draw large audiences. Bizarre spectacles often draw a crowd. Smelly, rotten food often draws flies and other pests.
• Used in a sentence: The popular singer drew many fans to the concert. 

Draw is also a competition that has no winner or ends in a tie.

• Real-life examples: Basketball games, chess matches, and rock-paper-scissors can all end in draws, in which neither team or player is declared the winner.
• Used in a sentence: The two teams were evenly matched, so the soccer game ended in a draw.

Synonym Usage

Draw, drag, haul, pull imply causing movement of an object toward one by exerting force upon it. To draw is to move by a force, in the direction from which the force is exerted: A magnet draws iron to it. To drag is to draw with the force necessary to overcome friction between the object drawn and the surface on which it rests: to drag a sled to the top of a hill. To haul is to transport a heavy object slowly by mechanical force or with sustained effort: to haul a large boat across a portage. To pull is to draw or tug, exerting varying amounts of force according to the effort needed: to pull out an eyelash; to pull fighting dogs apart.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• misdraw
  verb
• predraw
  verb
• redraw
  verb
• drawable
  adjective
• undrawable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• draws
  plural

Participles

• drawing
  present
• drawn
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• draw
  simple
• draws
  simple
• have drawn
  perfect
• has drawn
  perfect
• am drawing
  progressive
• are drawing
  progressive
• is drawing
  progressive
• have been drawing
  perfect progressive
• has been drawing
  perfect progressive

Past

• drew
  simple
• had drawn
  perfect
• was drawing
  progressive
• were drawing
  progressive
• had been drawing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will draw
  simple
• will have drawn
  perfect
• will be drawing
  progressive
• will have been drawing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of draw

First recorded before 900; Middle English drawen, Old English dragan; cognate with Old Norse draga, German tragen “to carry”; cf. drag

Explanation

At the cartooning contest, you could draw out your pen and draw a narwhal, and the competition could still end in a draw. The meanings of draw include "to pull gently" and "to sketch" and "an even score". The original meaning of draw comes from the Old English dragan, "drag." This meaning is still common today, like when you draw the curtains shut or when a horse draws a carriage through Central Park. The most common way to use the verb draw is to mean "produce an image using lines," which came from the idea of drawing a pen or pencil across paper. Occasionally, draw gets confused with drawer, a noun meaning "a compartment that slides out."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

draw draws drew drawn drawing

Researchers have scant records to draw upon when trying to understand homeschooling, a legal gray area for much of the 20th century.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

"If we fail to draw conclusions, to change our attitude toward service, to acknowledge our mistakes, we are doomed," he said at the time.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

It was clearly the draw that caused the program to be sold out months in advance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

But the latest tariffs on Canada draw on a different presidential power, which permits “new or additional duties” on any country that “discriminates in fact against the commerce of the United States.”

From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026

Leaders of the faith also insisted that all people should draw their own conclusions.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Reddit threads tout the film as a modern classic, measured against the standard “The Exorcist” set, and more formal writing draws worthy comparisons between Linda Blair’s unforgettable performance and newcomer Inde Navarrette’s work in “Obsession.”

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Despite the harassment, Iran did not lose a game, playing to three draws despite having three goals — any of which would have sent it to the knockout rounds — erased by video reviews.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Over the preceding five years, he has established himself as one of the sport's biggest draws.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

Kimberly Bizu, 29, who founded the media platform Rich Little Brokegirls, draws a line: “If you don’t have money for a date, you should not be dating,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Time has made the skull fragile, but Phineas Gage's fame still draws visitors to Harvard's Countway Library to look without touching.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

But, with the date of his next pitching start up in the air, his bullpen session still drew a lot of eyes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

I drew that potent conclusion from it when I first saw it, before our summers grew hotter and a long-ago sight I’d planned to repeat became something closer to a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

As the show drew to a close, Mars returned to the songs that helped cement his place as one of pop's biggest stars.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

Mr. Sabet’s antidrug activism drew the attention of some in the Clinton White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, who recruited him to serve as a researcher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

I drew back in alarm, but Mien was behind me.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Alma Padel founder Abigail McCulloch, 30, was drawn to the sport after playing with international classmates at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Revolut's rapid growth has meanwhile drawn criticism in recent years regarding its ability to comply with financial regulations, particularly those aimed at combating fraud and money laundering.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

They are also drawn by the familial and collegiate atmosphere, as well as the ability to travel and make friends around the world.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Born in Oakland in 1947, Reilly was drawn to politics from an early age.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

She seemed thunderstruck by what she saw, drawn to the image yet unable to touch it.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

I estimate we would pay roughly $70,000 a year out of pocket, which would require drawing heavily from our brokerage account.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

Views through one archway are framed by another, drawing the eye deeper into the home.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Since then, it has spread to cities across India, drawing support from students, professionals, activists and opposition politicians.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Inaugurated in 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ram temple has become one of India's most prominent religious sites, drawing an average 90,000 visitors every day.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

The family was asked to provide drawing paper and crayons.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• attract
• bring
• carry
• drag
• elicit
• evoke
• gather
• pick