Meaning & Definition of Withdraw in English

1. Pull back or move away or backward

• "The enemy withdrew"

• "The limo pulled away from the curb"

2. Withdraw from active participation

• "He retired from chess"

3. Release from something that holds fast, connects, or entangles

• "I want to disengage myself from his influence"

• "Disengage the gears"

4. Cause to be returned

• "Recall the defective auto tires"

• "The manufacturer tried to call back the spoilt yoghurt"

5. Take back what one has said

• "He swallowed his words"

6. Keep away from others

• "He sequestered himself in his study to write a book"

7. Break from a meeting or gathering

• "We adjourned for lunch"

• "The men retired to the library"

8. Retire gracefully

• "He bowed out when he realized he could no longer handle the demands of the chairmanship"

9. Remove (a commodity) from (a supply source)

• "She drew $2,000 from the account"

• "The doctors drew medical supplies from the hospital's emergency bank"

10. Lose interest

• "He retired from life when his wife died"

11. Make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity

• "We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"

• "He backed out of his earlier promise"

• "The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns"

12. Remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract

• "Remove a threat"

• "Remove a wrapper"

• "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"

• "Take the gun from your pocket"

• "This machine withdraws heat from the environment"