pull off

verb

pulled off; pulling off; pulls off

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.
Writing’s on the wall Callahan and the Titans miraculously pulled off their first victory of the season, rallying from a 21-3 deficit to beat the Arizona Cardinals 22-21. Mike Jones, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 However, the show is pulled off without a hitch and Gigi Hadid stuns as its closer in an emerald green gown. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025 The results show the incredibly smart people of Rapa Nui pulled off a monumental engineering feat, making the most of their limited resources. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025 Unlike the effort that still goes into TikTok (even with the use of other AI apps), Sora in seconds and with no external sourcing besides your own face creates personalized videos where you can be seen pulling off a lot more than dance moves. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pull off

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pull off was in 1883

Cite this Entry

“Pull off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pull%20off. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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!