pull off

verb

pulled off; pulling off; pulls off
Synonyms of pull offnext

transitive verb

: to carry out despite difficulties : accomplish successfully against odds
the team pulled off an upset

Examples of pull off in a Sentence

the rebel forces pulled off a surprisingly successful offensive against the better equipped government troops
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After finishing, Vonn chatted briefly with Johnson – who raced just before her – at the bottom of the slope, pulled off her knee brace and then walked the circumference of the mixed zone, eyeing the big board as Wiles raced. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026 The Celtics pulled off four trades ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026 The Matrix has successfully pulled off its full mode transition flight sequence, transitioning from vertical take-off through cruise flight to vertical landing. New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2026 In the first overtime, the Nuggets pulled off an even trickier heist. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pull off

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pull off was in 1860

Cite this Entry

“Pull off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pull%20off. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on pull off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster