withdraw
with-DRAW
/wɪðˈdrɔː/
To pull back, remove, or retreat from an activity, place, or social interaction.
Implies a physical or psychological retreat to a safer, more private space. It can be a deliberate strategic move (troops withdrawing) or a psychological defense.
The story behind the word. Formed in Middle English by combining the prefix 'with-' (which in this case meant 'away' or 'against', as in 'withstand') with 'drawen' (to pull). Literally, it means 'to pull away'.
Word relationships
- retreat: Retreat often implies pulling back under pressure or defeat, while withdraw can be a calm, planned, or voluntary action.
- retire: Retire is a formal or old-fashioned way of saying to go to bed or leave a room for privacy.
- advance: Advance means to move forward, particularly in a physical or military sense, the opposite of withdrawing.
- engage: Engage means to actively participate or step into a situation, rather than pulling back.
Commonly confused with
- withhold: Withhold means to refuse to give something (like information or permission), while withdraw means to take something back or retreat.
Word family
- withdrawal (noun): The act of pulling back, or the physical symptoms experienced when stopping an addictive substance.
- withdrawn (adjective): Very quiet and non-communicative; socially isolated.
Collocations
- withdraw from society
- withdraw support
- withdraw money
- withdraw troops
Idioms & expressions
- withdraw into one's shell
Example sentences
- "When overwhelmed by the loud noise, the child would withdraw to her bedroom and read quietly." A description of a child dealing with stress.
- "She went to the ATM to withdraw some cash before heading to the market." A financial transaction.
Memory hook
Think of 'drawing' a curtain closed to block out the world. When you 'withdraw', you are drawing your personal curtains shut. Draw the curtains to withdraw.
When not to use
Do not use when someone is forcibly ejected; withdraw is an action performed by the person or group leaving.
Fun facts
- In psychology, 'withdrawal' is a classic defense mechanism where individuals physically or emotionally remove themselves from perceived threats or painful realities.
Explore more words
disengagement, retract, withdrawn, withdrawal, secede, back down
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