Meaning & use
a draw
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Meanings
phrasesingular
A result in a game or competition in which both sides finish with the same score, so no one wins.
Grammar: Countable; used with 'a' or 'the'. Often followed by 'with' or 'against'.
Patterns
- a draw with someone
- a draw against someone
- end in a draw
The match ended in a draw, so both teams got one point.
After three hours of chess, they agreed to a draw.
Our team played a draw with the champions.
phrasesingular
A person, thing, or event that attracts many people, especially because it is interesting or exciting.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'big' or 'main'.
Patterns
- a big draw
- a main draw
- be a draw for someone
The new roller coaster is a big draw for families.
The singer was the main draw at the festival.
The museum's dinosaur exhibit is a huge draw for school groups.
Word forms
| plural | draws |
|---|
Common combinations
- end in a draw
- The game ended in a draw after extra time.
- a goalless draw
- The football match was a goalless draw.
- a big draw
- The celebrity chef was a big draw at the food fair.
- play a draw
- They played a draw in the final.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tie
- More common in American English for a game with equal scores; 'draw' is more common in British English.
- deadlock
- Used when neither side can break the equal score, often in chess or negotiations; less common in everyday sports talk.
Opposites
Word family
- draw verb
- To finish a game with the same score as the other player or team.
Commonly confused: a draw or drawer?
a draw vs drawer
A 'drawer' is a sliding box in furniture; 'a draw' is a tied game. They sound similar but mean different things.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'a draw' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A draw is a tied game, so '2–2' fits. 'Draw' for a picture is a verb or noun but not 'a draw' in this sense; 'drawer' is the furniture; 'draw' in lottery is different.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a draw”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.