pull apart
verb
pulled apart; pulling apart; pulls apart
1
: to be separated into parts or pieces by pulling
The rolls pull apart easily.
2
: to separate or break (something) into parts or pieces
She pulled the rolls apart with her hands.
—sometimes used figurativelyHis gambling problem is pulling the family apart.
3
: to separate (people or animals) in order to stop a fight
Customers stepped in and pulled the two men apart.
Examples of pull apart in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The East African Rift Valley gets its shape from three tectonic plates that have been slowly pulling apart.
—
Zelalem Bedaso, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026
Once the plant is out of its old container, use your fingers to gently pull apart encircling roots and remove as much of the old potting mix as possible.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026
There aren’t biscuits on the table, but a buttery cathead-sized Milk Boule to pull apart and smear in the accompanying savory tomato-miso butter.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Released in 2004, the film follows a young couple from different social backgrounds who fall deeply in love in the 1940s, only to be pulled apart by family expectations and life circumstances.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull apart
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Zelalem Bedaso, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026
Once the plant is out of its old container, use your fingers to gently pull apart encircling roots and remove as much of the old potting mix as possible.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026
There aren’t biscuits on the table, but a buttery cathead-sized Milk Boule to pull apart and smear in the accompanying savory tomato-miso butter.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Released in 2004, the film follows a young couple from different social backgrounds who fall deeply in love in the 1940s, only to be pulled apart by family expectations and life circumstances.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull apart
Cite this Entry
“Pull apart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pull%20apart. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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