Illustration of pulley
- pulley 2
plural pulleys
1
: a sheave or small wheel with a grooved rim and with or without the block in which it runs used singly with a rope or chain to change the direction and point of application of a pulling force and in various combinations to increase the applied force especially for lifting weights
2
: a pulley or pulleys with ropes to form a tackle that constitutes one of the simple machines
3
: a wheel used to transmit power by means of a band, belt, cord, rope, or chain passing over its rim
Examples of pulley in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This was the first time SpaceX used the ship's payload deployment mechanism, which engineers liken to a Pez dispenser, using pulleys to move the rack of Starlink simulators and push them out of the rocket's side door one at a time.
—
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
Many vestiges of the ship’s seafaring past remain intact, however, from a claustrophobia-inducing propeller shaft to six original lifeboats hanging from pulleys on either side of the vessel.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025
Unlike most quadrupeds, CARA doesn’t use any gears or pulleys.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 July 2025
These gadgets use magnets to adhere to both sides of a window, allowing double-sided cleaning and offering a solution for exterior window cleaning that doesn’t require ladders, ropes, pulleys or scaffolding.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025
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Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2025
Many vestiges of the ship’s seafaring past remain intact, however, from a claustrophobia-inducing propeller shaft to six original lifeboats hanging from pulleys on either side of the vessel.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025
Unlike most quadrupeds, CARA doesn’t use any gears or pulleys.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 July 2025
These gadgets use magnets to adhere to both sides of a window, allowing double-sided cleaning and offering a solution for exterior window cleaning that doesn’t require ladders, ropes, pulleys or scaffolding.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pulley
Cite this Entry
“Pulley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pulley. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pulley
noun
pul·ley
ˈpu̇l-ē 
plural pulleys
: a small wheel with a grooved rim used with a rope or chain to change the direction of a pulling force and in combination to increase the force applied for lifting
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