1
2
as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort
the dentist had to struggle to pull the tooth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of pull
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Newlywed Yasmin is pulling strings among the peerage.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 5 Jan. 2026
Each of Cicellis’s young protagonists arrives at the grim realization that their life is circumscribed not by a god but by the pull of obligation to an undeserving parent or mentor.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull
Verb
The robot can pull its arm away instantly, much like a human does after touching a hot surface.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Newlywed Yasmin is pulling strings among the peerage.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Noun
Renate Reinsve anchors the film with a performance defined by restraint, while the supporting cast, including Elle Fanning and Stellan Skarsgård, deepens its emotional pull.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 5 Jan. 2026
Each of Cicellis’s young protagonists arrives at the grim realization that their life is circumscribed not by a god but by the pull of obligation to an undeserving parent or mentor.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
Verb
-
The city expects to begin negotiating a new waste hauling contract in late 2026.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The Tribune claimed that the city was overstating the success of the Blue Bag program by determining the recycling rate only when considering garbage sorted at MRRFs when, in fact, a lot of recyclables were going to waste transfer stations where they were hauled to landfills.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Videos appearing to show rows of body bags of those killed in Iran have emerged as anti-regime protests across the Islamic Republic stretch into a third week.—
Holly Williams,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The upholstery resists stretching and is simple to maintain, while the high-density foam cushions soften and shape to you over time.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In addition, the city’s Fourth of July fireworks show requires barge and tug services and marine safety coordination, adding to the overall cost.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Throughout the night, the two teams continued to play a game of tug of war with neither team giving the other an inch.—
Mukala Kabongo,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Here’s everything to know about her mental health history and the religious influence that allegedly distorted her beliefs.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The band had a range of influences, from blues and psychedelia, to country, folk and blues.—
Adam Levine,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
From roster makeup to individual position battles to the coaches looking to exploit any advantage on the field, every bit of film is scrutinized to see which team has the advantage in January.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Despite being given three power plays in the first, the B’s were not good at all on the man advantage.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His arm was pinned into the back window of a car as a suspect sped away, dragging him across the pavement for about 100 yards, according to court documents.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
-
At least one woman was dragged along the pavement as officers appeared to prepare additional crowd-control devices.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Therefore Primate and its promising central character turns more into a typical slasher flick, repeatedly knocking off the swimsuit-wearing teens one by one, his specialty being yanking out jaws and other bloody grossouts.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
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Officer Alex Millan then yanked open the passenger door of the suspects’ car; at the same time, the car drove forward over the curb.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After all, there are signs that the economy is improving (unemployment and inflation are declining), but after the economic struggles of recent years, and with household debt still high, an additional financing source won't hurt, either.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Critics say the practice has driven up home prices and hurt affordability, but some housing experts argue the president’s proposal would have minimal effect on overall housing supply.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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