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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

Explanation

Withdrawal is when you take something out, like making a withdrawal from your bank account. When you announced you were no longer running for president, your withdrawal from the race disappointed your many supporters. Withdrawal is also used to describe the painful experience that results when you stop taking an addictive drug (when you "take it out" of your system). The state of being emotionally detached is called withdrawal. If a country terminates an agreement like a treaty, that's a withdrawal too. Remember that withdrawal ends in "wal" and not just "wl."

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Vocabulary lists containing withdrawal

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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.

Gavi had aimed to collect $11.9 billion for its 2026-2030 strategy but is still short by $1.9 billion, mostly due to the US withdrawal but also caused by reductions from other Western donors.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

Nontraded funds, facing mass withdrawal requests, can cap redemptions, leading some investors to fear being trapped with less liquid assets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

There are, however, some cases where a withdrawal may make sense.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

Dr. Sullivan will present the findings from the study, "Duodenal mucosal resurfacing prevents weight regain after tirzepatide withdrawal: REMAIN-1 multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial -- midpoint cohort results," abstract 642, at 8:30 a.m.

From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2026

Lee began work on a plan of withdrawal.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

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.