draw on

verb

drew on; drawn on; drawing on; draws on

intransitive verb

: approach

night draws on

transitive verb

: bring on, cause

Synonyms

• beget
• breed
• bring
• bring about
• bring on
• catalyze
• cause
• create
• do
• effect
• effectuate
• engender
• generate
• induce
• invoke
• make
• occasion
• produce
• prompt
• result (in)
• spawn
• translate (into)
• work
• yield

Examples of draw on in a Sentence

the general's imprudent remarks drew on a public rebuke by the secretary of defense

night draws on, so we should hurry home

Recent Examples on the Web

Another scientific investigation drawing on the same participant group as Ogino’s study found that eating one or more servings per week of yogurt compared with no yogurt consumption was connected to a lower incidence of proximal colon cancer. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 14 Feb. 2025

Following the report, Senator Mitch McConnell drew on his own experience with polio to express his concerns about Kennedy's nomination. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025

Democracies require robust opposition, and robust oppositions must be able to draw on a large and replenishable pool of politicians, activists, lawyers, experts, donors, and journalists. —Steven Levitsky, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2025

The prepared text of McCarthy’s speech drew on those same themes, including lines plagiarized from then-Congressman (and Senate candidate) Richard Nixon. —Made By History, TIME, 9 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

draw on

verb

: to come closer : approach

as night drew on