# withdrawn

/wɪðˈdɹɔn/ (US) · /wɪðdɹˈɔːn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/withdrawn
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. removed or taken back

verb · CEFR B2

the past participle of 'withdraw', used when something has been taken away or removed.

For teachers: the past participle of 'withdraw'. Used in perfect tenses and passive constructions to indicate removal, retraction, or departure.

- The company has withdrawn the product from stores because of a safety problem.
- By the time the peace treaty was signed, the occupying forces had already withdrawn to the original border positions established decades earlier.

### 2. quiet and unsocial

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

very quiet and not wanting to talk to or be with other people.

For teachers: socially detached, introverted, or emotionally unresponsive. Often used in a clinical or psychological context to describe a change in personality.

- After the accident, the boy became very withdrawn and stopped playing with his friends.
- The patient appeared increasingly withdrawn during the clinical observation, showing a marked reluctance to engage in even basic verbal communication with the nursing staff.

Usage: Usually follows a linking verb like 'become' or 'seem'.

### 3. no longer available

adjective · CEFR B2

taken out of use or no longer available to the public.

For teachers: removed from circulation, competition, or public availability.

- The candidate is now a withdrawn participant in the election.
- The controversial book was withdrawn from the library shelves following a series of formal complaints from the local community.

## Examples

- He became very withdrawn after he lost his job.
- The teacher noticed that the usually talkative student had become withdrawn and rarely participated in class discussions.
- Clinical observation suggests that patients may become increasingly withdrawn as a defense mechanism against overwhelming external stimuli or emotional trauma.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.