pull on

phrasal verb

pulled on; pulling on; pulls on

1

: to hold onto and move (something) toward oneself

She pulled on the rope with all her might.

2

: to hold onto and pull (something) repeatedly

When she gets nervous, she pulls on her ear.

3

: to breathe in the smoke from (a cigarette, pipe, etc.)

He rocked back and forth, pulling on his pipe.

4

: to dress oneself in (clothing)

She quickly pulled on her boots.

He pulled a sweater on.

Examples of pull on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The footage shows the officer pulling on the door handle on the driver’s side and then brandishing a gun. —Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024

Seven bullets stayed in the magazine and 16 children were physically uninjured (though their mental scars from seeing the shooting may last a lifetime) because his weak pull on the trigger jammed the gun on the first shot, according to the grand jury report. —Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024

That's what Jerry O'Connell learned on Monday, also April Fools' Day, when Akbar Gbajabiamila, his cohost on The Talk, finally took revenge for a gag O'Connell pulled on him two years ago. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2024

People start pulling on you for that because that’s what pays their bills. —Rose Eden, SPIN, 26 Mar. 2024

Use curiosity in real time to pull on threads and make small pivots. —Allbusiness, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

What if there’s more pulling on the same end of the rope? —Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2024

Unlike many of our other picks, this futon contains a strap that can be easily pulled on to simplify the transformation experience when nighttime strikes. —Jenna Clark, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024

Ask questions that require them to pull on an additional thread and not just settle for surface details. —Allbusiness, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024