pull-up

1 of 2

noun

ˈpu̇l-ˌəp 

plural pull-ups

: an exercise in which one hangs by the hands from a support (such as a horizontal bar) and pulls oneself up until the chin is level with the support

specifically : such an exercise done with the palms facing outward compare chin-up

pull up

2 of 2

verb

pulled up; pulling up; pulls up

transitive verb

1

: to bring to a stop : halt

2

: check, rebuke

intransitive verb

1

a

: to check oneself

b

: to come to an often abrupt halt : stop

2

: to draw even with others in a race

Synonyms

Verb

• stop
• halt
• catch
• stall
• check
• stay
• draw up
• hold up
• bring up

Examples of pull-up in a Sentence

Verb

the jockey tried to pull up the apparently injured horse

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The stop came on the heels of Lacan’s first field goal of the game, a pull-up midrange jump shot that ended a three-minute field goal drought for the Sun. —Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2025

These are similar to the pull-up, but pull away from the vehicle rather than upwards. —New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2025

Verb

At one point, a car pulled up and several people got out. —Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 30 July 2025

Surveillance footage showed the 37-year-old dad pull up to the day care in Starke, park the car and head inside to pick up his two children, then the mom walked up to the building’s front door with a backpack, deputies said. —Miami Herald, 29 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1901, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1623, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for pull-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup