Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for withdrawal. Search instead for with drawal.
Synonyms

withdrawal

American  
[with-draw-uhl, -drawl, with-] / wɪðˈdrɔ əl, -ˈdrɔl, wɪθ- /

noun

  1. Also withdrawment. the act or condition of withdrawing.

  2. Pharmacology. the act or process of ceasing to use an addictive drug.

  3. coitus interruptus.

withdrawal British  
/ wɪðˈdrɔːəl /

noun

  1. an act or process of withdrawing; retreat, removal, or detachment

  2. the period a drug addict goes through following abrupt termination in the use of narcotics, usually characterized by physical and mental symptoms ( withdrawal symptoms )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
withdrawal Scientific  
/ wĭth-drô′əl,wĭth- /

  1. Discontinuation of the use of an addictive substance. The symptoms of withdrawal include headache, diarrhea, and tremors and can range from mild to life threatening, depending on the extent of the body's reliance on the addictive substance.

Etymology

Origin of withdrawal

First recorded in 1740–50; withdraw + -al 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Blue Owl Capital Income and Technology Income funds curbed redemptions after receiving 21.9% and 40.7% withdrawal requests, respectively.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Raducanu's withdrawal from Linz comes a day after fellow Briton Jack Draper pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters as he continues his cautious comeback following an arm injury.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

After the Kosovo War of 1998-1999, Kosovo celebrated its liberation day on 12 June, 1999, following the withdrawal of Serbian forces and the entry of Nato-led peacekeeping troops.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

U.S. natural gas futures settled higher as the EIA reports a bigger-than-average withdrawal from storage for last week, which analysts see as possibly the last draw of the winter season.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

I reminded him that the lawyers were not released by any one individual; their withdrawal had been approved by all, including himself.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.