pull at
phrasal 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
Neurotic and self-deprecating, typically dressed all in black, Mr. Lewis paced the stages of comedy clubs, hanging his head, pulling at his shock of black hair, riffing on his struggles in life and love.
—
Clay Risen, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024
Having to keep your legs crossed, constantly adjusting your position in the chair or pulling at your hem will distract you and chip away at your confidence.
—Jane Hanson, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
The actual blossoms Marvin: The general rule is we are not allowed to really pluck and touch and pull at and tug at the cherry blossoms.
—Matt McClain, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
The larger, Deep Down size of this lure can reach depths of twenty feet when trolled, can be pulled at a creep at 1 MPH, and runs well at up to 4 MPH (1.5 to 2.5 MPH is the most common speed for walleyes).
—David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
Glass: Glass massagers are easy to clean and have a low chance of pulling at or irritating your skin.
—Isabella Ubaldi, Health, 20 Mar. 2024
When the name Zora Lily is discovered on the tag of a gown once worn by Greta Garbo, a costume curator at the Smithsonian pulls at the threads of Lily's life.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2023
As inflation pulls at the seams of the average American’s household budget, consumers have become more cost-conscious in an effort to stay financially afloat.
—Tom Treanor, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
At 3:50, the video compilation shows the figure at Lafayette Elementary School, near Woll's home, apparently pulling at a car door.
—Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 23 Jan. 2024
Clay Risen, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024
Having to keep your legs crossed, constantly adjusting your position in the chair or pulling at your hem will distract you and chip away at your confidence.
—Jane Hanson, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
The actual blossoms Marvin: The general rule is we are not allowed to really pluck and touch and pull at and tug at the cherry blossoms.
—Matt McClain, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
The larger, Deep Down size of this lure can reach depths of twenty feet when trolled, can be pulled at a creep at 1 MPH, and runs well at up to 4 MPH (1.5 to 2.5 MPH is the most common speed for walleyes).
—David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
Glass: Glass massagers are easy to clean and have a low chance of pulling at or irritating your skin.
—Isabella Ubaldi, Health, 20 Mar. 2024
When the name Zora Lily is discovered on the tag of a gown once worn by Greta Garbo, a costume curator at the Smithsonian pulls at the threads of Lily's life.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2023
As inflation pulls at the seams of the average American’s household budget, consumers have become more cost-conscious in an effort to stay financially afloat.
—Tom Treanor, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
At 3:50, the video compilation shows the figure at Lafayette Elementary School, near Woll's home, apparently pulling at a car door.
—Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 23 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pull at.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Pull at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pull%20at. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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