pull

1 of 2

verb

pulled; pulling; pulls

transitive verb

1
a
: to exert force upon so as to cause or tend to cause motion toward the force
b
: to stretch (cooling candy) repeatedly
pull taffy
c
: to strain abnormally
pull a tendon
d
: to hold back (a racehorse) from winning
e
: to work (an oar) by drawing back strongly
2
a
: to draw out from the skin
pull feathers from a rooster's tail
b
: to pluck from a plant or by the roots
pull flowers
pull turnips
c
: extract
pull a tooth
3
: to hit (a ball) toward the left from a right-handed swing or toward the right from a left-handed swing compare push
4
: to draw apart : rend, tear
5
: to print (something, such as a proof) by impression
6
a
: to remove from a place or situation
pull the engine
pulled the pitcher in the third inning
pulled the show
b
: revoke
If they're caught dumping, they'll get their license pulled.Alexandra Alger
7
: to bring (a weapon) into the open
pulled a knife
8
a
: perform, carry out
pull an all-nighter
pull guard duty
b
: commit, perpetrate
pull a robbery
pull a prank
9
a
: put on, assume
pull a grin
b
: to act or behave in the manner of
pulled a Horace Greely and went westSteve Rushin
10
a
: to draw the support or attention of : attract
pull votes
often used with in
b
: obtain, secure
pulled a B in the course
11
: to demand or obtain an advantage over someone by the assertion of
pull rank

intransitive verb

1
a
: to use force in drawing, dragging, or tugging
b
: to move especially through the exercise of mechanical energy
the car pulled clear of the rut
c(1)
: to take a drink
(2)
: to draw hard in smoking
pulled at a pipe
d
: to strain against the bit
2
: to draw a gun
3
: to admit of being pulled
4
: to feel or express strong sympathy : root
pulling for my team to win
5
of an offensive lineman in football : to move back from the line of scrimmage and toward one flank to provide blocking for a ballcarrier
puller noun

pull

2 of 2

noun

often attributive
1
a
: the act or an instance of pulling
b(1)
: a draft of liquid
(2)
: an inhalation of smoke
c
: the effort expended in moving
a long pull uphill
d
: force required to overcome resistance to pulling
a trigger with a four pound pull
e
: a competition in which a heavily weighted sled is pulled by participants usually using draft animals or machines
a tractor pull
the county fair's annual ox pull
The truck pull may be one one of the machine age's weirdest mutations. Modified pickup trucks and dragsters are hooked to trailers or "sleds" weighed down with 30,000 to 40,000 pounds … They rev up their engines and slog their way across a 200-foot mud track.
2
a
b
: special influence
3
4
: a device for pulling something or for operating by pulling
a drawer pull
5
: a force that attracts, compels, or influences : attraction
6
: an injury resulting from abnormal straining or stretching
a muscle pull
a groin pull
Phrases
pull a face
: to make a face : grimace
pull a fast one
: to perpetrate a trick or fraud
pull oneself together
: to regain one's composure
pull one's leg
: to deceive someone playfully : hoax
pull one's weight
: to do one's full share of the work
pull punches or less commonly pull a punch
: to refrain from using all the force at one's disposal
pull stakes or pull up stakes
: to move out : leave
pull strings or less commonly pull wires
: to exert hidden influence or control
pull the plug
1
: to disconnect a medical life-support system
2
: to withdraw essential and especially financial support
pull the rug from under
: to weaken or unsettle especially by removing support or assistance from
pull the string
: to throw a changeup
pull the trigger
: to make a decisive move or action
pull the wool over one's eyes
: to blind to the true situation : hoodwink
pull together
: to work in harmony : cooperate

Examples of pull in a Sentence

Verb He pulled the door open and ran out. The cat will scratch you if you keep pulling its tail. Make a knot in the rope and pull it tight. Pull the baby's chair closer to the table. She pulled the blanket over her head. We tried pushing and pulling but couldn't get the couch to move. Grab the end of the rope and pull as hard as you can. We spent the morning in the garden pulling weeds. I accidentally pulled one of the buttons off my shirt. He pulled the plug out of the socket. Noun She gave the door a few hard pulls and it opened. Give the rope a pull. He has a lot of pull in local political circles.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Brands began to pull together resources to support refugees. Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023 The 13-minute performance will likely call for a healthy dose of vibrant, colored lighting to pull it all together. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Feb. 2023 The right swimsuit coverup is lightweight, offers a comfortable range of motion yet looks flattering against your body, and is really what's going to pull your beach ensemble together. Town & Country, 9 Feb. 2023 The moment is stunning and disarming, sounding as if Warwick caught herself off-guard with her own ability to suddenly pull her emotions together, and leaving you jelly in Bacharach and David’s hands for the rest of the song. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 9 Feb. 2023 During the event, Riley wore black boots, a black dress, held a black and gold bag, and rocked a pair of massive gold hoops to pull it all together. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2023 As ghosts, fate and the sheer power of true love pull Nicholas and Isabel together, so too does life threaten to tear them apart. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2023 With goodwill and strong efforts, the 164 members of the WTO can find a way to pull together and move toward a better place. Alan Wolff, Fortune, 20 Jan. 2023 As for her makeup, the Batman Begins alum wore bold eyeliner and a mauve lip color to pull everything together. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 19 Jan. 2023
Noun
South Florida’s pull as a sports tourism magnet strengthens this weekend as one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment entities, a mixed martial arts group, comes back to Kaseya Center in downtown Miami. Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 The pair are an intriguing juxtaposition, but this mirroring gets muddled under their dark pull toward Tommaso. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 5 Mar. 2024 At about the 12-minute mark, the planet’s gravitational pull really takes hold—that’s when things begin to heat up for Varda’s experimental capsule. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 Feb. 2024 Only a magic wand could overcome the AI hallucination moniker's enormous gravitational pull. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The steel runners beneath the sled carve into the hillside like skis, allowing children to steer by dragging their hands in the snow or attaching a pull rope to the pre-drilled holes on the front and pulling on it to guide the direction. Heather Balogh Rochfort, Parents, 26 Feb. 2024 According to the standard cosmological model, galaxies start with a clump of matter whose gravitational pull attracts more matter. Steve Nadis, WIRED, 25 Feb. 2024 While the term King Tide isn’t a scientific term, it is used to describe very high tides, caused when there is alignment of the gravitational pull between sun, moon and Earth. Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 One was a semi-automatic pistol and the other was a revolver, Leyton said, adding both were loaded and ready to shoot with a pull of the trigger. Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pull.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English pullian; akin to Middle Low German pulen to shell, cull

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pull was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near pull

Cite this Entry

“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pull. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pull

1 of 2 verb
1
: to separate forcibly from a natural or firm attachment
pull a tooth
pull up carrots
2
a
: to use force on so as to cause or tend to cause motion toward the force
pull a wagon
pull at a rope
b
: to stretch repeatedly
pull taffy
c
: to strain by stretching
pull a tendon
d
: move entry 1 sense 1
the car pulled out of the driveway
3
: to draw apart : tear
4
: remove entry 1 sense 2
pulled the pitcher in the third inning
5
: to bring into the open
pulled a knife
6
: to carry out with skill or daring : commit
pull a robbery
7
: attract sense 2
pull customers
puller noun

pull

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: the act or an instance of pulling
b
: the effort put forth in pulling
a long pull uphill
2
: special influence
got his job through pull
3
: a device for pulling
a drawer pull
4
: a force that attracts or influences
the pull of gravity
5
: an injury resulting from abnormal straining or stretching
a muscle pull

Medical Definition

pull

1 of 2 transitive verb
1
: extract sense 1
pull a tooth
2
: to strain or stretch abnormally
pull a tendon
pull a muscle

pull

2 of 2 noun
: an injury resulting from abnormal straining or stretching especially of a muscle see groin pull

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