1. The act of withdrawing
   "the withdrawal of French troops from Vietnam"
    
2. The act of taking out money or other capital
   "The sudden withdrawal of funds from the bank caused a financial panic"
    
3. The act of withdrawing blood, tumors, etc.
   "the nurse was expert at the withdrawal of blood"
    
4. The act of ceasing to participate in an activity
   "Her sudden withdrawal from the competition surprised everyone"
    
5. A retraction of a previously held position
   "The senator's withdrawal of his earlier statement surprised his supporters";
   - backdown, climb-down
    
6. Avoiding emotional involvement
   "His withdrawal from social activities was a sign of depression";
   - detachment
    
7. Formal separation from an alliance or federation
   "The country's withdrawal from the international agreement was met with criticism";
   - secession
    
8. Physical and mental symptoms experienced when discontinuing an addictive substance
   "The rehabilitation centre helped patients through the difficult process of drug withdrawal";
   - drug withdrawal
    
9. A method of birth control in which coitus is initiated but the penis is deliberately withdrawn before ejaculation
   "They relied on withdrawal, despite its unreliability as a contraceptive method";
   - coitus interruptus, withdrawal method, pulling out, onanism [formal]

Derived forms: withdrawals

Type of: abjuration, birth control, birth prevention, conclusion, departure, ending, family planning, going, going away, indifference, leaving, recantation, remotion [archaic], removal, retraction, separation, termination

Encyclopedia: Withdrawal