Withdraw vs. Withdrawal – Which is Correct?
If you need to describe the action of taking money back or leaving something, use withdraw. If you mean the act, event, or result, use withdrawal. Thus, “withdrawal” is a noun, while “withdraw” is a verb. Both are correct, but they serve different grammatical roles in sentences and contexts clearly.
Withdraw or Withdrawal – Which is Correct?
Withdraw and withdrawal are both correct English words, but they have different grammatical functions. Withdraw is usually a verb describing an action: someone may withdraw money, withdraw an application, or withdraw from a competition. Withdrawal is a noun naming the action, process, or result: a bank withdrawal, a withdrawal from a race, or withdrawal symptoms.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the ending as your clue: withdraw is something you do, while withdrawal is the action or event itself. If the word can follow “to,” choose withdraw: “to withdraw funds.” If it can follow “a” or “the,” choose withdrawal: “a withdrawal of funds.”
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| withdraw | Verb | To take back, remove, or leave | She decided to withdraw her application. |
| withdrawal | Noun | The act or process of withdrawing | The withdrawal of the application was confirmed. |
How to Use Withdraw
Withdraw is a verb used when a person or organization takes something away, removes participation, retrieves money, or moves away from a place or situation. It can be transitive, meaning it takes an object, as in “withdraw money” or “withdraw an offer.” It can also be followed by from, as in “withdraw from the competition.”
The word is appropriate in both formal and casual contexts, although it often sounds more formal than alternatives such as “take out,” “pull back,” or “leave.” In banking, education, politics, business, and competition, withdraw is the standard choice.
Example 1: You can withdraw cash from the account at any authorized ATM.
Example 2: The candidate decided to withdraw from the election.
Example 3: The company may withdraw its proposal if negotiations fail.
What are the different forms of withdraw?
Withdraw is an irregular verb. Its present form is withdraw, its third-person singular present form is withdraws, its present participle is withdrawing, and both its simple past and past participle are withdrew and withdrawn, respectively.
- Present: withdraw or withdraws
- Past: withdrew
- Past participle: withdrawn
- Present participle: withdrawing
For example: “They withdraw funds regularly,” “They withdrew the complaint yesterday,” and “They have withdrawn their support.”
Etymology of the word withdraw
Withdraw comes from Middle English and combines with, meaning “away” or “back,” with draw, meaning “to pull.” The original sense was to pull away or retreat. Over time, the word developed additional meanings involving removing money, canceling participation, and taking back statements or offers.
How to Use Withdrawal
Withdrawal is a noun that refers to the act, process, or result of withdrawing. It is commonly used in financial contexts, such as a cash withdrawal from a bank account. It can also describe leaving an activity, removing support, ending involvement, or experiencing physical or psychological symptoms after stopping a substance.
The word is generally neutral and works in formal, professional, medical, academic, and everyday writing. In some contexts, it can describe social behavior, as in “her withdrawal from the group,” or a medical condition, as in “nicotine withdrawal.”
Example 1: The bank recorded a large withdrawal from the business account.
Example 2: His withdrawal from the tournament surprised the other players.
Example 3: The doctor explained that withdrawal symptoms may vary from person to person.
What are the different forms of withdrawal?
Withdrawal is a countable or uncountable noun depending on its context. The singular form is withdrawal, and the regular plural form is withdrawals. Use the singular form for the general process or one event, and the plural form for multiple transactions, departures, or instances.
- Singular: withdrawal
- Plural: withdrawals
For example, “The withdrawal was processed,” refers to one event, while “Several withdrawals appeared on the statement,” refers to more than one event.
Etymology of the word withdrawal
Withdrawal developed from the verb withdraw combined with the noun-forming suffix -al. It originally referred to the act of pulling back or retreating. Its modern meanings expanded to include removing money, ending participation, retracting support, and the physical or psychological effects of stopping an addictive substance.
Related Concepts
Understanding the difference between verbs and nouns makes it easier to choose between withdraw and withdrawal accurately.
- Verbs: Verbs express actions, conditions, or events. Because withdraw describes an action, it can follow “to” and change tense: “to withdraw,” “withdrew,” or “has withdrawn.”
- Nouns: Nouns name people, places, things, actions, or ideas. Withdrawal names the act or result of withdrawing and can be preceded by articles such as “a” or “the.”
- Irregular verbs: An irregular verb does not form its past tense simply by adding -ed. The past tense of withdraw is withdrew, and its past participle is withdrawn.
- Word families: Related words often change grammatical roles through suffixes. The verb withdraw becomes the noun withdrawal, just as “approve” becomes “approval.”
Examples from Media and Literature
These examples show how withdraw and withdrawal commonly appear in real-world communication:
- Financial news: Articles about banking often explain that customers can withdraw cash or that a withdrawal limit applies to an account.
- Election coverage: News reports may state that a candidate chose to withdraw from a race, followed by coverage of the candidate’s withdrawal.
- Sports reporting: A tournament report may say that an athlete withdrew because of an injury, while the athlete’s withdrawal changed the competition.
- Historical writing: Accounts of military campaigns frequently describe an army beginning to withdraw, followed by a broader discussion of its withdrawal.
- Medical literature: Patient information commonly refers to withdrawal symptoms that can occur after reducing or stopping certain medications or substances.
Withdraw Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Remove | To take something away from a place, situation, or process |
| Retrieve | To get something back, especially money or an item |
| Retract | To take back a statement, claim, offer, or accusation |
| Retreat | To move back or away from a place or situation |
| Leave | To go away from a place, group, or activity |
Withdrawal Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Removal | The act of taking something away |
| Retreat | The act of moving back or away |
| Departure | The act of leaving a place, group, or activity |
| Retraction | The formal act of taking back a statement or claim |
| Abstinence | The act of refraining from a substance or activity |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “withdraw” a verb or a noun?
Withdraw is primarily a verb. It describes an action, such as taking money from an account, leaving a competition, or taking back an offer.
Question 2: Is “withdrawal” a verb or a noun?
Withdrawal is a noun. It names the act, process, or result of withdrawing, as in “a withdrawal from a bank account” or “withdrawal from the course.”
Question 3: What is the past tense of “withdraw”?
The simple past tense is withdrew. The past participle is withdrawn: “She withdrew her application” and “She has withdrawn her application.”
Question 4: Should I say “withdraw money” or “make a withdrawal”?
Both expressions are correct. “Withdraw money” uses the verb, while “make a withdrawal” uses the noun. The choice depends on the grammatical structure of your sentence.
Question 5: Is “withdrawal” always related to money?
No. Although withdrawal commonly refers to taking money from an account, it can also mean leaving an activity, removing support, retreating, or experiencing symptoms after stopping a substance.
Conclusion
Withdraw and withdrawal are both correct, but withdraw is a verb and withdrawal is a noun. Use withdraw for the action and withdrawal for the act, event, or result. Pro Tip: Choosing the correct grammatical form in professional writing improves clarity and protects your credibility.
