These terms are very similar and easily confused. But when should we use the correct form?
“Withdraw” is a verb, and “withdrawal” is a noun. The pronunciation is not the same, and their meanings will be based on the context they are used in. For example, you withdraw to draw back, remove, or take back from something. At the same time, withdrawal is when you want to refer to taking money out of a bank account.
The Word “Withdraw”
Pronunciation
with·draw | \ wit͟h-ˈdrȯ, with- \
withdrew\ -ˈdrü \; withdrawn\ -ˈdrȯn \; withdrawing\ -ˈdrȯ(-)iŋ \
What Does The Word “Withdraw” Mean?
Definition Of The Word “Withdraw”: As A Transitive Verb
- To take back or away: as in Remove
Example:
Pressure upon educational administrators to withdraw academic credit
- To remove from use or cultivation.
- To remove (money) from a place of deposit.
- To turn away (something, such as one’s eyes) from an object of attention
Example:
He withdrew his gaze
- To draw (something, such as a curtain) back or aside
- To remove from consideration or set outside a group
Examples:
The jury withdrew her name from the list of contestants
The parents withdrew their children from school this year
- Take care
- Retract
- To recall or remove (a motion) under parliamentary procedures.
Definition Of The Word Withdraw: As An Intransitive Verb
- To move back or away: as in Retire.
- To draw back from a battlefield: as in Retreat.
- To become socially or emotionally detached.
Example:
He had withdrawn farther and further into himself
- To recall a motion under parliamentary procedure.
Withdraw: Medical Definitions
As A Transitive Verb
- To discontinue use or administration of.
Example:
The doctor is going to withdraw the drug from his patient’s treatment.
As An Intransitive Verb
- To become socially or emotionally detached.
Withdraw: Legal Definitions
As A Transitive Verb
- To remove (money) from a place of deposit or investment.
- To dismiss (a juror) from a jury.
- To eliminate from consideration or set outside a category or group.
Example:
She will withdraw her candidacy to major.
- To cease or to proceed with.
Example:
After an objection was sustained, they withdrew the question.
- To take back
Example:
The defendant withdraws the plea.
- To remove (a motion) from consideration under parliamentary procedure.
As An Intransitive Verb
- To remove oneself from participation.
Example:
Her attorney will withdraw from her case.
- It specifically refers to ceasing participation in a conspiracy by an affirmative act of renunciation especially involving confession to the authorities or communication of abandonment to co-conspirators.
- To remove a motion from consideration under parliamentary procedure
Withdraw: Definitions For English Language Learners
- To remove (money) from a bank account.
- To take (something) back so that it is no longer available.
- Formal: To take back (something that is spoken, offered, etc.)
Origin Of The Word “Withdraw”
The first known use of the word withdraw (as a verb) is from the 13th century, defined as to take away or back.
The early 13th century meaning of “to take back” is possibly a translation loan from the Latin retrahere that means “to retract.”; being this the transitive sense of the verb. The intransitive sense of the verb started in the middle of the 13th century.
In addition, the “remove oneself” sense is recorded from circa 1300; and it is related to “withdrawing” and “withdrawn.”
Withdraw: Etymology
In middle English, it comes from with, which means from + drawen, which means to draw.
Withdraw: Synonyms, Antonyms, And Related Words
Synonyms
- Back away
- Fall back
- Drop back
- Drop out
- Retreat
- Retire
- Recede
- Pull out
- Pull back
- Disavow
- Rescind
- Revoke
- Quit
- Leave
- Go
- Eliminate
- Disengage
- Depart
Antonyms
- Advance
- Continue
- Come
- Begin
- Unite
- Meet
- Face
- Come in
- Combine
- Arrive
- Stay
- Persevere
- Keep
- Join
- Enter
- Engage
- Allow
- Remain
- Permit
Other Words From Withdraw
- with·draw·er, noun
- with·draw·ing·ness, noun
- with·draw·a·ble, adjective
- non·with·draw·a·ble, adjective
Withdraw: Derived Forms
- withdrawer, noun
- withdrawable, adjective
Withdraw: Nearby Words
- Withdrawal
- Withdrawal syndrome
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Withdrawal room
Withdraw: How To Use The Word In A Sentence
- She withdrew $200 from her checking account.
- The prosecutor withdrew her question to the witness.
- They have withdrawn the charges.
- The committee decided to withdraw support for the candidate.
- They proceeded to withdraw him from the room.
- He withdrew before I could nominate him.
- For him, it has been a real struggle to withdraw from the use of heroin.
The Word “Withdrawal”
Pronunciation
with·draw·al | \ wit͟h-ˈdrȯ(-ə)l , with- \
What Does Withdrawal Mean?
Definition Of “Withdrawal”
- The act of taking back or taking away something that has been granted or possessed.
- Removal from a place of deposit or investment.
- Retreat or retirement, especially into a more secluded or less exposed place or position.
- An operation by which a military force disengages from the enemy.
- Revocation, retraction.
Example:
They threatened us with removing the withdrawal of consent.
- The act of drawing someone or something back from or out of a place or position.
Withdrawal: Medical Definitions
- It is defined as the discontinuation of the use and administration of an addictive substance. The withdrawal symptoms include headache, diarrhea, and tremors. They can range from mild to life-threatening, depending on the extent of the body’s reliance on the addictive substance.
Example:
Unfortunately, heroin addicts go through withdrawal symptoms.
- Social or emotional detachment.
- It is a pathological retreat from objective reality. A pattern of behavior observed in schizophrenia and depression characterized by a pathological retreat from interpersonal skills.
- Contact and social involvement lead to self-preoccupation. The period a drug addict goes through following abrupt termination in the use of narcotics, usually characterized by physical and mental symptoms (withdrawal symptoms).
Withdrawal: Legal Definitions
- The act or fact of withdrawing.
Example:
Take positive action withdrawing from a conspiracy.
- Removal of money from a place of deposit or investment.
Withdrawal: Definitions For English Language Learners
- An act of moving something away or taking something away.
- An act of ending your involvement in something.
- The act of taking money out of a bank account.
Origin Of The Word “Withdrawal”
Regarding the first known use of the word, withdrawal dates back to 1749. Specifically, the meaning of the act of taking back or taking away something that has been granted or possessed.
Other sources state that it wasn’t until the 1820s that the term began to be used with meanings of “act of taking back” also “retraction of a statement” from withdraw + -al (2). Earlier words in the same sense were withdrawment (the 1640s); withdraught (mid-14c.).
Here are some meanings of the term and the year its application started.
| Year | Meaning or Sense |
| 1861 | Removal of money from a bank, etc. |
| 1889 | As a synonym for coitus interruptus. |
| 1910 | Withdrawal symptom. |
| 1916 | Meaning from the psychological sense. |
| 1929 | The physical reaction to the cessation of an addictive substance (with an isolated use from 1897). |
Withdrawal: Etymology
It comes from the word withdraw + -al.
Withdrawal: Synonyms, Antonyms, And Related Words
Synonyms
- Pullout
- Pullback
- Exit
- Exodus
- Departure
- Disengagement
- Retreat
- Retirement
- Recession
- Resignation
Antonyms
- Stay
- Remainder
- Arrival
- Advancement
- Advance
- Entrance
- Coming
Withdraw: Nearby Words
- Withdrawal
- Withdrawal syndrome
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Withdrawal room
Withdrawal: Related Words
- Egress
- Abdication
- Abjuration
- Alienation
- Extraction
- Exit
- Departure
- Recall
- Resignation
- Revocation
- Revulsion
- Repudiation
- Relinquishment
- Rescission
- Recantation
- Retirement
Withdrawal: How To Use The Word In A Sentence
- The general authorized the withdrawal of troops from the fields.
- She made a withdrawal from her checking account.
- He underwent rehab to help him through his withdrawal from heroin.
- She experienced symptoms of nicotine withdrawal after she quit smoking.
Conclusion
The terms “withdrawal” and “withdraw” are closely related. One is a verb, while the other one is a noun.
Therefore, the noun withdrawal answers the “what” question. While the verb withdraw is indicating the action.
There are various connotations to these words, and their respective meanings will depend on the context.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.