pull

verb

\ ˈpu̇l

also ˈpəl

pulled; pulling; pulls

Definition of pull

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to exert force upon so as to cause or tend to cause motion toward the force

b : to stretch (cooling candy) repeatedly pull taffy

c : to strain abnormally pull a tendon

d : to hold back (a racehorse) from winning

e : to work (an oar) by drawing back strongly

2a : to draw out from the skin pull feathers from a rooster's tail

b : to pluck from a plant or by the roots pull flowers pull turnips

c : extract pull a tooth

3 : to hit (a ball) toward the left from a right-handed swing or toward the right from a left-handed swing — compare push

4 : to draw apart : rend, tear

5 : to print (something, such as a proof) by impression

6a : to remove from a place or situation pull the engine pulled the pitcher in the third inning pulled the show

b : revoke If they're caught dumping, they'll get their license pulled.— Alexandra Alger

7 : to bring (a weapon) into the open pulled a knife

8a : perform, carry out pull an all-nighter pull guard duty

b : commit, perpetrate pull a robbery pull a prank

9a : put on, assume pull a grin

b : to act or behave in the manner of pulled a Horace Greely and went west— Steve Rushin

10a : to draw the support or attention of : attract pull votes —often used with in

b : obtain, secure pulled a B in the course

11 : to demand or obtain an advantage over someone by the assertion of pull rank

intransitive verb

1a : to use force in drawing, dragging, or tugging

b : to move especially through the exercise of mechanical energy the car pulled clear of the rut

c(1) : to take a drink

(2) : to draw hard in smoking pulled at a pipe

d : to strain against the bit

2 : to draw a gun

3 : to admit of being pulled

4 : to feel or express strong sympathy : root pulling for my team to win

5 of an offensive lineman in football : to move back from the line of scrimmage and toward one flank to provide blocking for a ballcarrier

pull a face

: to make a face : grimace

pull a fast one

: to perpetrate a trick or fraud

pull oneself together

: to regain one's composure

pull one's leg

: to deceive someone playfully : hoax

pull one's weight

: to do one's full share of the work

pull punches or less commonly pull a punch

: to refrain from using all the force at one's disposal

pull stakes or pull up stakes

: to move out : leave

pull strings or less commonly pull wires

: to exert hidden influence or control

pull the plug

1 : to disconnect a medical life-support system

2 : to withdraw essential and especially financial support

pull the rug from under

: to weaken or unsettle especially by removing support or assistance from

pull the string

: to throw a changeup

pull the trigger

: to make a decisive move or action

pull the wool over one's eyes

: to blind to the true situation : hoodwink

pull together

: to work in harmony : cooperate

pull

noun, often attributive

Definition of pull (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : the act or an instance of pulling

b(1) : a draft of liquid

(2) : an inhalation of smoke

c : the effort expended in moving a long pull uphill

d : force required to overcome resistance to pulling a trigger with a four pound pull

e : a competition in which a heavily weighted sled is pulled by participants usually using draft animals or machines a tractor pull the county fair's annual ox pull The truck pull may be one one of the machine age's weirdest mutations. Modified pickup trucks and dragsters are hooked to trailers or "sleds" weighed down with 30,000 to 40,000 pounds … They rev up their engines and slog their way across a 200-foot mud track.

2a : advantage

b : special influence

3 : proof sense 6a

4 : a device for pulling something or for operating by pulling a drawer pull

5 : a force that attracts, compels, or influences : attraction

6 : an injury resulting from abnormal straining or stretching a muscle pull a groin pull

Other Words from pull Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about pull

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Synonyms & Antonyms for pull

Synonyms: Verb

drag, draw, hale, haul, lug, tow, tug

Synonyms: Noun

draw, haul, jerk, pluck, tug, wrench, yank

Antonyms: Verb

drive, propel, push

Antonyms: Noun

push

Examples of pull in a Sentence

Verb

He pulled the door open and ran out. The cat will scratch you if you keep pulling its tail. Make a knot in the rope and pull it tight. Pull the baby's chair closer to the table. She pulled the blanket over her head. We tried pushing and pulling but couldn't get the couch to move. Grab the end of the rope and pull as hard as you can. We spent the morning in the garden pulling weeds. I accidentally pulled one of the buttons off my shirt. He pulled the plug out of the socket.

Noun

She gave the door a few hard pulls and it opened. Give the rope a pull. He has a lot of pull in local political circles.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The video then shows the officer keeping his leg on the man’s neck and lifting the man’s head by pulling on his hair. — Washington Post, "Maryland man fatally shot in Southeast," 7 July 2019 The frozen gel can then be freeze-dried by a vacuum pulling on the gel at very low temperatures, ultimately creating a dry sponge-like material. — Natalie R. Rubio, The Conversation, "So far cultured meat has been burgers – the next big challenge is animal-free steaks," 5 July 2019 Not surprisingly, Amazon started to pull back on private label spending in 2018. — Russell Brandom, The Verge, "Why does Amazon have so many clothing brands?," 5 July 2019 But such an object would also be pulling on the central star. — Adam Mann, Scientific American, "Astronomers Don't Know What to Make of This Incredibly Bizarre Star," 3 July 2019 GiaNina had her Snooki solo pulled on Dance Moms after her mom Joanne wouldn't stop complaining about the dance's content and costume. — Martha Sorren, Woman's Day, "Abby Cut GiaNina's 'Jersey Shore'-Themed Solo On This Week's 'Dance Moms'," 3 July 2019 The doctors have been pulling on the epidural for a whole day but couldn’t get the epidural out of my back! — Matt Mcnulty, PEOPLE.com, "New Mom, 18, Says Hospital Left Epidural Tube in Her Back For Days," 2 July 2019 Central Marin Police Authority officials spotted the red Honda Civic and pulled it over on Spencer Avenue, near Marin City. — Kim Fu, The Mercury News, "Teens arrested in Marin burglary may be linked to Bay Area thefts," 29 June 2019 The Admiral Gorshkov pulled into Havana on Monday, the latest stop on a ‘round-the-world tour that kicked off on February 26 in St. Petersburg, Russia. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "A Russian Navy Warship Is Visiting Havana," 27 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Play stopped for a foul and Curry resisted its pull. — Tania Ganguli, latimes.com, "Raptors hit big shots to beat Warriors in Game 3," 5 June 2019 Their redemption story began with Marley spearheading the fundraising efforts and using her pull — as a top executive for her father's record label, Tuff Gong — to raise awareness for the women's group of pioneers. — Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY, "Bob Marley's daughter saves Jamaican women’s soccer team on World Cup path," 4 June 2019 Nothing that gets too close, including passing light, can elude its gravitational pull. — Steve Nadis, Discover Magazine, "We've Found Gravitational Waves. What Will We Learn From Them?," 24 May 2019 Nostalgia exerts its pull on all of us at some point. — Bryan Burrough, WSJ, "‘The Last Stone’ Review: The Past Isn’t Even Past," 12 Apr. 2019 To keep it simple—I'm no astrophysicist—the theory states that a sufficiently compact mass can deform spacetime to form a black hole, a region in space where the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing can escape its pull. — Ineye Komonibo, Marie Claire, "We Know What a Black Hole Looks Like for the First Time," 10 Apr. 2019 That’s because the Orion was designed to maneuver much farther away from the moon, where its gravitational pull is weaker and requires less propellant to counteract. — Anatoly Zak, Popular Mechanics, "NASA: Lunar 'Gateway' Is Still Our Best Bet for Putting Boots on the Moon," 1 Apr. 2019 Locals and tourists frequent the area, which includes equipment for push-ups and pull-ups. — USA TODAY, "High Line milestones, Iowa’s big stink, Muscle Beach makeover: News from around our 50 states," 11 June 2019 Curry, who scored his postseason career high of 47 points, hit a 32-foot pull-up jumper late in the first quarter to cut a lead to four. — Sean Gregory/oakland, Time, "The Toronto Raptors Respond to Stephen Curry's Onslaught, Over and Over," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pull.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.