hauls; hauled; hauling
1
always followed by an adverb or preposition
a
: to pull or drag (something) with effort
Haul the ropes in. = Haul in the ropes.
They hauled the boat up onto the beach.
The car was hauled away/off to the junkyard.
b
: to move or carry (something) with effort
We used buckets to haul water up from the river.
She hauled herself to her feet and limped home.
I'm tired of hauling this heavy camera around with me.
2
always followed by an adverb or preposition
: to force (someone) to go or come to a place
The police caught him and hauled him (in) to the station.
The prisoner was hauled away in handcuffs.
They hauled her off to court/jail.
3
: to carry (someone or something) in a vehicle
The cattle were hauled by rail.
The company has a fleet of trucks that are used to haul freight.
plural hauls
1
: the act of pulling or dragging something with effort : the act of hauling something
each haul of the rope
2
: a usually large amount of something that has been stolen, collected, or won
a burglar's haul
Authorities seized the drugs in one of the biggest drug hauls in the history of the county.
The kids always collect a substantial haul of candy on Halloween.
3
: a distance to be traveled
It's just a short haul from our cabin to the beach.
Cite this Entry
“Haul.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/haul. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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