pull 1 of 2

1
as in to haul
to cause to follow by applying steady force on a team of horses pulling a heavy wagon

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to stretch
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure lift the crate carefully, or you'll pull a muscle

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pull

2 of 2

noun

1
as in tug
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force I gave the door such a pull that when it suddenly opened, I nearly fell backwards

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pull
Verb
During the event, Riley wore black boots, a black dress, held a black and gold bag, and rocked a pair of massive gold hoops to pull it all together. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2023 As ghosts, fate and the sheer power of true love pull Nicholas and Isabel together, so too does life threaten to tear them apart. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2023
Noun
Considering the convergence of current cultural bugaboos on deck here—race, class, cancel culture, immigration—The Uproar mostly wears its topicality lightly, preferring the granular pull of human drama to editorial hectoring or lectures. Book Marks june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025 Each piece reflects the emotional journey of the show’s protagonist, Belly (Lola Tung), through design elements such as infinity rope motifs and delicate seashell accents, which evoke the pull of summer romance and the series’ seaside setting. Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
Verb
  • Just think about where your luggage has been; it gets hauled through airports, goes for a ride on a conveyor belt, rolls across dusty parking lots, is stashed into overhead bins, and is often handled by multiple people with no guarantee of clean hands.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2025
  • Those were frugal, pragmatic solutions; every stone that could be reused was another one that didn’t have to be quarried, cut, hauled, and placed.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • In short, four prominent celestial objects — the moon, a bright planet and two bright stars — stretched out across a little more than a dozen degrees of the west-northwest sky.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 24 June 2025
  • Closing arguments are set to begin this week, on Thursday, and stretch into the following day.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • Give one of the center leaves of the pineapple a firm but gentle tug.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 June 2025
  • Ripe tomatoes should easily come off the plant with a gentle tug.
    Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 June 2025
  • However, she was found guilty of operating under the influence.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • That said, Nordstrom cardmembers enjoy a major advantage: Early Access, beginning as early as July 8, depending on your Nordy Club status.
    Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
  • But as a two-term governor in a blue state, Pritzker has the luxury of not having to make a choice under the usual constraints of seeking a political advantage, said Robin Johnson, a governmental relations, public policy and political consultant.
    Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Even as Beijing drags its feet on financial reforms, the chaos surrounding Trump 2.0 is making the case, day after day, for an alternative to the dollar.
    William Pesek, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • Tense scenes played out in the chamber as voting came to a standstill, dragging on for hours as holdout senators huddled for negotiations.
    Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • The injunction holds that the administration is blocked from yanking Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which was based on a May 22 revocation notice the Department of Homeland Security sent to Harvard administrators.
    Emily Berk, NBC news, 20 June 2025
  • There was a collective gasp when Ohtani yanked a pitch that sailed to the backstop, allowing Tatis to get to second base.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • This would hurt even the most polished comedy or the most clockwork heist movie, let alone one that hopes to be both.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 26 June 2025
  • Ohtani has provided a critical bat at the top of the Dodgers' order and there was some concern that adding a pitching workload might hurt his offensive production.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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