pull 1 of 2

verb

ˈpu̇l How to pronounce pull (audio)
Definition of pullnext
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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2
as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort the dentist had to struggle to pull the tooth

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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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2
as in influence
the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly their lawyer supposedly has a lot of pull with the administration in Washington

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3
as in advantage
the more favorable condition or position in a competition a political candidate with all of the pull that comes with a vast fortune and famous surname

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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
Cousins scored on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter to pull Las Vegas within 30-28. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026 That probably cost us 30 to 45 minutes waiting for medical to pull him. — Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2026
Noun
That day, the Star’s winning pull was Hall’s pick; Torino22, with top notes of bergamot, saffron, eucalyptus, heart notes of clary sage, mate, guaiac wood and bottom notes of musk and dry woods. — Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026 What the research says about dupe demand For many consumers, the pull of a dupe comes from scoring something that offers a similar look or experience without paying the higher price of the original. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
  1. haul
  2. yank
  3. stretch
  4. tug
  5. influence
  6. advantage
  7. drag
  8. extract
Verb
  • The engine is perfectly adequate for daily driving, providing enough power to merge onto highways, navigate urban traffic, and haul the family toward its next destination.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • All of that material is currently hauled elsewhere for disposal, including round trips of about 200 miles to other biomass facilities.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of haul
Verb
  • With the wheels threatening to come off, Rays manager Kevin Cash yanked Seymour and put in Kevin Kelly.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Ignoring that rule could get flood insurance coverage yanked for an entire community.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of yank
Verb
  • The floppy chains bend and stretch to reach nearby partners as opposite charges attract.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Caleb Wilson bounded into the paint with the lack of abandon every rookie possesses, stretching his arms toward the rim in a desperate reach for the ball.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of stretch
Noun
  • The sci-fi horror film follows the seven-member crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo who, upon returning to Earth, intercept a strange transmission from a nearby moon.
    — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Nothing about Capra is weirder, to be honest, than the way in which, from one film of his to the next, suicide tugs at our sleeve.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of tug
Noun
  • With this election, Sanders and Warren have an opportunity to steer Democrats further left and turn that political influence into a legislative agenda that is more adversarial toward big business and the private sector.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Earlier Delft experiments focused on electron spins and their influence on nuclear spins through hyperfine coupling.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of influence
Noun
  • Likely voters who decided which candidate to support only recently in seven key Senate races favor Republicans despite an overall Democratic advantage, according to a new poll released Sunday night.
    — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The data — provided by Eric Eager, then with PFF — has proven extending a three-point lead to six points late in the fourth quarter has more consequences than advantages.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of advantage
Verb
  • Supporters — business groups and affordable housing advocates — say CEQA lawsuits drag projects out for years, jacking up your rent and mortgage.
    — Kiara Adams, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Related Stories The allegation relates to an incident in which Brand allegedly grabbed the woman by the arm and tried to drag her into a toilet.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • Key Takeaways These artificial channels are up to five times more selective for lithium, offering a simpler way to extract the critical battery material.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • In lieu of sweet tea, a commercial sugar cane juicer extracts yellow-green juice.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of extract

Phrases Containing pull

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puling
pull
pull a face
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Cite this Entry

“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pull

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