with-DRAW
/wɪðˈdɹɔ/
withdraw is pronounced with-DRAW (/wɪðˈdɹɔ/). Withdraw is a two-syllable verb meaning to pull back or remove something, or to retreat from participation. It often implies a deliberate action of extraction or retreat, sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently. In finance or voting, it can refer to retracting a stake or proposal. The core sense blends motion away from a position with the idea of cessation or removal.
Withdraw is a two-syllable verb meaning to pull back or remove something, or to retreat from participation. It often implies a deliberate action of extraction or retreat, sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently. In finance or voting, it can refer to retracting a stake or proposal. The core sense blends motion away from a position with the idea of cessation or removal.
"She decided to withdraw her candidacy before the election."
"The committee voted to withdraw the proposal after new information came to light."
"He had to withdraw cash from the ATM before paying the bills."
Common pronunciation is /wɪðˈdrɔː/ (US) or /wɪðˈdrɒ/ (UK). Start with a short, lax 'wi' as in 'wit,' then the 'ð' voiced th, then a stressed 'dr' cluster with a long open vowel in the second syllable. The 'aw' vowel in the US usually glides toward a long /ɔː/; in UK English it’s closer to /ɒ/. Ensure the /dr/ onset is clipped and the second syllable is clearly stressed. Mouth: light lip rounding for the /ɔː/ and a precise tongue contact for /ð/.
Two frequent errors: (1) treating the second syllable as unstressed and shortening /drɔː/ to /drɔ/; (2) mispronouncing /ð/ as /d/ or /z/, producing 'wih-zraw' or 'with-draw' without the proper dental fricative. To correct: keep the /ð/ as a voiced dental fricative (tip of the tongue between teeth, vibration). Emphasize the second syllable with /ˈdraʊ/ or /ˈdrɔː/ depending on accent, and avoid borrowing the initial 'w' as a 'wh' cluster. Practice by isolating /ð/ and keeping the mouth position steady into /dr/.
In US, /wɪðˈdrɔː/ with a rhotacized or non-rhotacized 'r' depending on region; US often has a clearer /ɔː/ in the second syllable. UK typically /wɪðˈdrɒ/ with a shorter /ɒ/ in non-rhotic accents; AU follows similar patterns to UK but with slight vowel raising to /ɔː/ in some speakers. The primary differences are the second-syllable vowel quality and rhoticity, especially whether the 'r' is pronounced in non-rhotic UK English. Remember the /ð/ remains the same across; the key is the second-syllable vowel length and quality.
Because of the consonant cluster and the dental fricative /ð/ following a short vowel. The sequence w-i-ð forms a subtle transition into /dr/, which requires quick muscular coordination of the tongue for the /ð/ and the onset /dr/. In fast speech, the vowel in the second syllable may reduce, causing loss of vowel length or merging into /dr/. The main challenge is maintaining the dental fricative and then articulating the /dr/ cluster cleanly in a stressed syllable.
Yes — the placement of the primary stress on the second syllable and the fusion of the /ð/ into a crisp /d/-like release near the onset of /dr/ can create misperception as a two-syllable with a weak first syllable. The dental fricative requires the tongue to touch the upper teeth, which is a subtle move; many speakers may replace it with a /d/. Maintaining a distinct /ð/ while transitioning to /dr/ keeps the word crisp and accurate.
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US: maintain a strong /ɔː/ in the second syllable; non-rhotic tendencies mean the /r/ is not pronounced after vowels in many contexts, but in 'withdraw' the /dr/ cluster should be clear with minimal lengthening of the vowel. UK: /wɪðˈdrɒ/ with shorter /ɒ/ and a less pronounced /r/; you should emphasize the /ð/ and /dr/ together. AU: tends toward /wɪðˈdrɒː/ with more open back vowel; ensure the /ð/ is intact and the /dr/ onset remains tight.
Withdraw comes from Old English awhdrawan, from a- (away) + withdrawan (to pull back, draw away). The modern sense develops from the combination of withdrawal and draw, with relate to withdrawal, pulling back, or retreating. The root draw appears in Germanic languages as drag, draw, or plain ‘to pull.’ The prefix a- historically intensifies or marks away-from, aligning with other compounds like away- and withdraw. By Middle English, the word existed in forms such as withdrawe and withdrawen, often written with a soft pronunciation of the first syllable. Over time, the meaning narrowed to the idiomatic sense of retreat or removal, and extended metaphorically to withdraw money, withdraw a statement, or withdraw from a commitment. First known uses appear in legal and transactional texts, but the common usage as discontinue or retreat matured in the early modern period, aligning with banking and governance language as organizations and individuals implemented formal withdrawals and retractions.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "withdraw" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "withdraw"
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