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 of pull-up

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

Pemberton does a good job playing off the threat of his jump shot and is comfortable in the mid-range with two- and three-dribble pull-ups. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026

Ditch the pull-ups during the day There’s no disputing that pull-up diapers can be a great help with potty training, but when toddlers get too comfortable with what was intended to be a safety net, progress can grind to a screeching halt. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Verb

Wallace was leaving a music industry party at the Petersen Automotive Museum on March 9, 1997, sitting in the front passenger seat of a Chevrolet Suburban, when his killer pulled up alongside in a dark Chevy Impala. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Once connected, ChatGPT can pull up recent conversations, answer questions about what's in them, and compose and send replies as the user. — Gabriel Alin Zainescu, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

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