withdraw

/wɪðˈdrɔː/

Say it: with-DRAW

1. verb To take money out of a bank account.
I need to withdraw two hundred dollars from the ATM before our trip.
2. verb To remove or take away something from a particular place or position.
The company was forced to withdraw the faulty product from the market.
3. verb To stop participating in an activity or being a member of an organization.
She had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury.
4. verb To move back or away from a place or situation, especially a difficult one.
The general ordered the troops to withdraw to a more defensible position.

📖 Seen in the wild

The company decided to withdraw its controversial new product from the market after public outcry.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ withdraw in a sentence

He tends to withdraw into himself when he's feeling stressed.
The ambassador was instructed to withdraw the controversial statement.
After public backlash, the sponsor decided to withdraw its funding for the event.
You can withdraw your application at any time before the deadline.
The prosecution's key witness threatened to withdraw her testimony.
As the tide began to withdraw, it revealed a long stretch of sandy beach.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

retreat remove retract pull out extract take out recede fall back

retreat · often implies moving back from a danger or enemy.

remove · a more general term for taking something away from a place.

retract · specifically means to take back a statement, offer, or promise.

pull out · a more informal equivalent for leaving an activity or situation.

Opposites: deposit, advance, insert, submit, join

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'withdraw' literally means 'to draw back'. It comes from the Middle English 'withdrauen', combining the prefix 'with', which in this context meant 'away' or 'against', and the verb 'drauen', the ancestor of our modern 'draw'. This sense of pulling away has remained at the core of the word's meaning for centuries.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

withdraw money from an accountwithdraw from a competitionwithdraw troops from a regionwithdraw an offer or statementwithdraw into oneself

'Withdraw' is a versatile word that is at home in formal, professional, and everyday contexts. It is generally preferred over more informal phrasal verbs like 'pull out' or 'take out' in writing and professional settings. Be aware of its past participle, 'withdrawn', which is commonly used as an adjective to describe someone who is shy, quiet, and socially reserved.

Word family: withdrawal, withdrawing, withdrawn

💬 Quick answers

What does 'withdraw' mean?

It means to pull back, remove, or take something away. This can apply to money from an account, troops from a battle, a statement that was made, or a person from a social situation.

What is the difference between 'withdraw' and 'retreat'?

While both mean to move back, 'retreat' usually implies moving away from a threat or pressure, often in a military or competitive context. 'Withdraw' is a broader term that can be used in many other situations, like finance and social interactions.

What does it mean if a person is 'withdrawn'?

A person described as 'withdrawn' is unusually quiet and introverted, often avoiding social interaction because of shyness, sadness, or preoccupation.

Is 'withdraw' a formal word?

'Withdraw' is a standard, neutral-to-formal word. In casual speech, you might hear 'take out' for money or 'pull out' of a race, but 'withdraw' is appropriate in virtually any context.

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