Withdraw vs. Retract — What's the Difference?

Remove or take away (something) from a particular place or position

To take back; disavow

Leave or cause to leave a place or situation

To draw back or in

Cease to take an addictive drug

To utter (a sound) with the tongue drawn back.

To take back or away; remove

To draw back (the tongue).

To cause to leave or return

To take something back or disavow it.

To remove (money) from an account.

To draw back

To turn away (one's gaze, for example).

(transitive)

To draw aside

To pull (something) back or back inside.

To remove from consideration or participation

(rare) To avert (one's eyes or a gaze).

To recall or retract

(phonetics) To pronounce (a sound, especially a vowel) farther to the back of the vocal tract.

To move or draw back; retire

(obsolete) To hold back (something); to restrain.

To leave or return, as from a military position.

(intransitive) To draw back; to draw up; to withdraw.

To remove oneself from active participation

(transitive)

To become detached from social or emotional involvement

To cancel or take back (something, such as an edict or a favour or grant previously bestowed); to rescind, to revoke.

To recall or remove a motion from consideration in parliamentary procedure.

To break or fail to keep (a promise, etc.); to renege.

To discontinue the use of a drug or other substance, especially one that is addictive.

To take back or withdraw (something that has been said or written); to disavow, to repudiate.

To react physiologically and mentally to this discontinuance, often while experiencing distressing symptoms.

(games) Originally in chess and now in other games as well: to take back or undo (a move); specifically (card games) to take back or withdraw (a card which has been played).

(transitive)

(intransitive)

To draw or pull (something) away or back from its original position or situation.

To decline or fail to do something promised; to break one's word.

To take away or take back (something previously given or permitted); to remove, to retract.

Of something said or written (such as published academic work): to take back or withdraw.

To cause or help (someone) to stop taking an addictive drug or substance; to dry out.

To change one's mind after declaring an intention to make a certain move.

To take (one's eyes) off something; to look away.

An act of retracting or withdrawing (a mistake, a statement, etc.); a retraction.

(figuratively)

A pulling back, especially (military) of an army or military troops; a pull-back, a retreat; also, a signal for this to be done.

To distract or divert (someone) from a course of action, a goal, etc.

Synonym of retreat

To extract (money) from a bank account or other financial deposit.

To draw back; to draw up or shorten; as, the cat can retract its claws; to retract a muscle.

(intransitive)

To withdraw; to recall; to disavow; to recant; to take back; as, to retract an accusation or an assertion.

Chiefly followed by from: to leave a place, someone's presence, etc., to go to another room or place.

To take back,, as a grant or favor previously bestowed; to revoke.

Chiefly followed by from: to stop taking part in some activity; also, to remove oneself from the company of others, from publicity, etc.

To draw back; to draw up; as, muscles retract after amputation.

To stop talking to or interacting with other people and start thinking thoughts not related to what is happening.

To take back what has been said; to withdraw a concession or a declaration.

To stop taking an addictive drug or substance; to undergo withdrawal.

The pricking of a horse's foot in nailing on a shoe.

Of a man: to remove the penis from a partner's body orifice before ejaculation; to engage in coitus interruptus.

Formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure;

An act of drawing back or removing; a removal, a withdrawal or withdrawing.

Pull away from a source of disgust or fear

(law) withdraught

Use a surgical instrument to hold open (the edges of a wound or an organ)

To take back or away, as what has been bestowed or enjoyed; to draw back; to cause to move away or retire; as, to withdraw aid, favor, capital, or the like.

Pull inward or towards a center;

To take back; to recall or retract; as, to withdraw false charges.

To retire; to retreat; to quit a company or place; to go away; as, he withdrew from the company.

Pull back or move away or backward;

Withdraw from active participation;

Release from something that holds fast, connects, or entangles;

Cause to be returned;

Take back what one has said;

Keep away from others;

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

Break from a meeting or gathering;

Retire gracefully;

Remove (a commodity) from (a supply source);

Lose interest;

Make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity;