pull at

verb

pulled at; pulling at; pulls at

1

: to hold onto and pull (something) repeatedly

When she gets nervous, she pulls at her ear.

2

: to breathe in the smoke from (a cigarette, pipe, etc.)

He rocked back and forth, pulling at his pipe.

Examples of pull at in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The man hugged a bag, the woman shouted and flailed her arms, and the young teenage boy pulled at his sister, who seemed stupefied. — Literary Hub, 21 July 2026

Every documentary filmmaker or journalist or investigator learns how to pull at that thread. — Josh Fox, IndieWire, 17 July 2026

During the previous Alabama nitrogen executions, the inmates shook, pulled at the restraints and exhibited labored breathing. — Kim Chandler, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026

In explanation, Martinez pulls at a red thread and a green one. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 10 June 2026

Rhymes for pull at

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat