What does "draw down" mean (sense 1)?

To withdraw money from a fund, credit line, or account, usually incrementally. Example: "The company drew down $5 million from its credit facility to fund the expansion."

What does "draw down" mean (sense 2)?

To reduce the size or presence of a military force in a region. Example: "The administration announced plans to draw down troops stationed overseas by the end of the year."

What does "draw down" mean (sense 3)?

To reduce a supply or reserve by using it up over time. Example: "The long winter had drawn down the emergency food reserves faster than expected."

Browse all

draw down

C1 formal separable transitive

To withdraw money from a fund or account, or to reduce the level of something such as military forces or resources.

In plain English

To take money out of a special account bit by bit, or to slowly reduce the number of soldiers or resources somewhere.

What does "draw down" mean?

3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.

1 C1 idiomatic formal

uncommon

To withdraw money from a fund, credit line, or account, usually incrementally.

"The company drew down $5 million from its credit facility to fund the expansion."

separable

2 C1 idiomatic formal

uncommon

To reduce the size or presence of a military force in a region.

"The administration announced plans to draw down troops stationed overseas by the end of the year."

“

We will begin to draw down our forces from Iraq.
— Barack Obama, Address on Iraq and Afghanistan, 2009

separable

3 C1 idiomatic formal

rare

To reduce a supply or reserve by using it up over time.

"The long winter had drawn down the emergency food reserves faster than expected."

separable

Literal vs figurative

Words literally mean

To pull or draw something downward.

Actually means

To take money out of a special account bit by bit, or to slowly reduce the number of soldiers or resources somewhere.

Usage tip

Primarily used in financial, military, and policy contexts. Very common in journalism and government reporting. In finance, it refers to accessing credit or a loan. In military contexts, it refers to reducing troop levels.

Words that pair with "draw down"

Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.

troops funds reserves loan forces inventory

How to conjugate "draw down"

The five tense forms you'll use most often.

Base

draw down

I/you/we/they

3rd person

draws down

he/she/it

Past simple

drew down

yesterday

Past participle

drawn down

have + pp

-ing form

drawing down

continuous

Hear "draw down" in the wild

Listen to native speakers using "draw down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.

Keep exploring

Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.

All phrasal verbs with "draw" All phrasal verbs with "down" More C1-level phrasal verbs