ENGLISH THESAURUS & DICTIONARY

draw

noun · verb

Words like draw

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MEANING & USAGE

Definitions & examples

01noun

a gully that is shallower than a ravine

02noun

an entertainer who attracts large audiences

“he was the biggest drawing card they had”

03noun

the finish of a contest in which the score is tied and the winner is undecided

“the game ended in a draw”

“their record was 3 wins, 6 losses and a tie”

04noun

anything (straws or pebbles etc.) taken or chosen at random

“the luck of the draw”

“they drew lots for it”

41 more meanings

05noun

a playing card or cards dealt or taken from the pack

“he got a pair of kings in the draw”

06noun

a golf shot that curves to the left for a right-handed golfer

“he took lessons to cure his hooking”

07noun

(American football) the quarterback moves back as if to pass and then hands the ball to the fullback who is running toward the line of scrimmage

08noun

poker in which a player can discard cards and receive substitutes from the dealer

“he played only draw and stud”

09noun

the act of drawing or hauling something

“the haul up the hill went very slowly”

10verb

cause to move by pulling

“draw a wagon”

“pull a sled”

11verb

get or derive

“He drew great benefits from his membership in the association”

12verb

make a mark or lines on a surface

“draw a line”

“trace the outline of a figure in the sand”

13verb

make, formulate, or derive in the mind

“I draw a line here”

“draw a conclusion”

14verb

bring, take, or pull out of a container or from under a cover

“draw a weapon”

“pull out a gun”

15verb

represent by making a drawing of, as with a pencil, chalk, etc. on a surface

“She drew an elephant”

“Draw me a horse”

16verb

take liquid out of a container or well

“She drew water from the barrel”

17verb

give a description of

“He drew an elaborate plan of attack”

18verb

select or take in from a given group or region

“The participants in the experiment were drawn from a representative population”

19verb

elicit responses, such as objections, criticism, applause, etc.

“The President's comments drew sharp criticism from the Republicans”

“The comedian drew a lot of laughter”

20verb

suck in or take (air)

“draw a deep breath”

“draw on a cigarette”

21verb

move or go steadily or gradually

“The ship drew near the shore”

22verb

remove (a commodity) from (a supply source)

“She drew $2,000 from the account”

“The doctors drew medical supplies from the hospital's emergency bank”

23verb

choose at random

“draw a card”

“cast lots”

24verb

earn or achieve a base by being walked by the pitcher

“He drew a base on balls”

25verb

bring or lead someone to a certain action or condition

“She was drawn to despair”

“The President refused to be drawn into delivering an ultimatum”

26verb

to obtain a liquid from somewhere

“The nurse drew blood”

27verb

write a legal document or paper

“The deed was drawn in the lawyer's office”

28verb

engage in drawing

“He spent the day drawing in the garden”

29verb

move or pull so as to cover or uncover something

“draw the shades”

“draw the curtains”

30verb

allow a draft

“This chimney draws very well”

31verb

require a specified depth for floating

“This boat draws 70 inches”

32verb

pull (a person) apart with four horses tied to their extremities, so as to execute them

“in the old days, people were drawn and quartered for certain crimes”

33verb

cause to move in a certain direction by exerting a force upon, either physically or in an abstract sense

“A declining dollar pulled down the export figures for the last quarter”

34verb

take in, also metaphorically

“The sponge absorbs water well”

“She drew strength from the minister's words”

35verb

direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes

“Her good looks attract the stares of many men”

“The ad pulled in many potential customers”

36verb

thread on or as if on a string

“string pearls on a string”

“the child drew glass beads on a string”

37verb

stretch back a bowstring (on an archer's bow)

“The archers were drawing their bows”

38verb

pass over, across, or through

“He ran his eyes over her body”

“She ran her fingers along the carved figurine”

39verb

finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc.

“The teams drew a tie”

40verb

shrink

“The material drew after it was washed in hot water”

41verb

reduce the diameter of (a wire or metal rod) by pulling it through a die

“draw wire”

42verb

steep; pass through a strainer

“draw pulp from the fruit”

43verb

remove the entrails of

“draw a chicken”

44verb

flatten, stretch, or mold metal or glass, by rolling or by pulling it through a die or by stretching

“draw steel”

45verb

cause to localize at one point

“Draw blood and pus”

Meanings and examples from Open English WordNet 2025. About our sources ↗

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Expressions with “draw”

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Explore multiword dictionary entries containing this word. Each has its own meanings and related words.

draw in draw up draw off draw out draw away draw back draw near draw play