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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

The State Department, while confirming that U.S. and Rwandan officials discussed sanctions, didn’t answer questions about a potential Rwandan withdrawal from Mozambique.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Bethany is one of a growing number of people documenting their experiences on social media, using the hashtag TSW, which stands for topical steroid withdrawal.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

"For the people of Gaza, the implications are profound: Israeli military withdrawal and reconstruction at scale."

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Strauss scholars disagree on whether his withdrawal was a rejection of his previous accommodation with the regime, a suspicion that it might not last, or simply an old man choosing retirement.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

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.