verb
adjective
-
unusually reserved, introverted, or shy
-
secluded or remote
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of withdrawn
First recorded in 1610–20, for the adjective
Explanation
Quiet loners are withdrawn — that's a word for people who keep to themselves to such an extent that it seems a little unhealthy. We can all be withdrawn sometimes, especially when we're sad or depressed about something. Some people get withdrawn when they're angry. A withdrawn person can be hard to find, and even if they're around, hard to talk to — withdrawn people don't like to talk, or they try to talk as little as possible. A person who is withdrawn from the rest of the world for a long period of time is a recluse — an extremely solitary, withdrawn person.
Vocabulary lists containing withdrawn
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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100 SAT words Beginning with W,X,Y, and Z
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"The Scholarship Jacket" by Marta Salinas
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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.
While 35 countries are participating in the 2026 contest, broadcasters from Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland and Slovenia have withdrawn.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
Since Samya's death, Stumo said his wife no longer listens to music, the family no longer holds karaoke nights and his son Tor -- once the happiest of the three -- had withdrawn into himself.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
Britain's Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Italian Open because of the post-viral illness that has kept her off the WTA Tour for two months.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
A representative for David Neidhart, a Republican candidate, said he has withdrawn from the race.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
From an accomplice and a communicative person he had become withdrawn and hostile.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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.
