withdrawal

[ with-draw-uh l, -drawl, with- ]
/ wɪðˈdrɔ əl, -ˈdrɔl, wɪθ- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR withdrawal ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Also with·draw·ment. the act or condition of withdrawing.
Pharmacology. the act or process of ceasing to use an addictive drug.
coitus interruptus.

Origin of withdrawal

First recorded in 1740–50; withdraw + -al2

Words nearby withdrawal

with the exception of, with the gloves off, with-, withal, withdraw, withdrawal, withdrawal symptom, withdrawal symptoms, withdrawal syndrome, withdrawing room, withdrawn

Words related to withdrawal

retirement, exodus, departure, exit, disengagement, resignation, abdication, revocation, recall, abandonment, abjuration, recantation, rescission, extraction, egress, relinquishment, revulsion, alienation, secession, repudiation

Example sentences from the Web for withdrawal

British Dictionary definitions for withdrawal

withdrawal
/ (wɪðˈdrɔːəl) /

noun

an act or process of withdrawing; retreat, removal, or detachment
the period a drug addict goes through following abrupt termination in the use of narcotics, usually characterized by physical and mental symptoms (withdrawal symptoms)

Medical definitions for withdrawal

withdrawal
[ wĭð-drô′əl, wĭth- ]

n.

Detachment, as from social or emotional involvement.
Discontinuation of the use of an addictive substance.
The physiological and mental readjustment that accompanies such discontinuation.
A pattern of behavior, observed in schizophrenia and depression, that is characterized by a pathological retreat from interpersonal contact and social involvement and that leads to self-preoccupation.
Coitus interruptus.

Scientific definitions for withdrawal

withdrawal
[ wĭð-drô′əl, wĭth- ]

Discontinuation of the use of an addictive substance. The symptoms of withdrawal include headache, diarrhea, and tremors and can range from mild to life threatening, depending on the extent of the body's reliance on the addictive substance.