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
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
Zendaya and Robert Pattinson star in Kristoffer Borgli’s rug-pull rom-com, which follows a soon-to-be-married couple whose relationship implodes after a shocking revelation.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 11 Apr. 2026
Katia Riddle, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
That push-and-pull is central to the show, which balances absurd, high-concept comedy with sharp emotional stakes.
—Sarah Rodman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull
Verb
Ground ivy forms mats that can't be easily pulled by hand.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
Zendaya and Robert Pattinson star in Kristoffer Borgli’s rug-pull rom-com, which follows a soon-to-be-married couple whose relationship implodes after a shocking revelation.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
Without the constant pull of gravity on the skeleton, muscle and bone can quickly atrophy.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
That push-and-pull is central to the show, which balances absurd, high-concept comedy with sharp emotional stakes.
—Sarah Rodman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
Verb
-
Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she's expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
From the near-panoramic window of our room at the Spindrift, we were greeted each morning by sea otters floating on their backs in the kelp beds, pods of dolphins arcing through the swell and the occasional seal hauled out on a nearby promontory.—
Alexandra Genova,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Much of Colorado’s growth is now concentrated in a belt of counties stretching from Weld down to Elbert and El Paso counties, temporarily bypassing Arapahoe, which had the state’s biggest population loss in raw numbers.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
-
That expansion now stretches beyond content into areas like financial services and telecom, further increasing demands on his time.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In space, the gravitational tugs from passing planets act like those currents.—
Patrick M. Shober,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The tug reportedly struck an object and was taking on water.—
Tiffany Watson,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Besler is part of the montage of key influences and reflections of the growth of the game here — a point nicely made by Tocco as Besler was heading to Brazil in 2014.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Your influence expands when Mars in your dramatic 8th house sextiles radical Uranus in your power-hungry 10th house.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has proved its biggest strategic advantage in the war.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The Penguins opted to sit Crosby and several other regulars after clinching a playoff berth for the first time since the 2021-22 season and home ice advantage throughout the first round.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In addition to being concerned about targeting, is there a sense from other people in the country that some Shias had brought this on themselves by supporting Hezbollah, and that Hezbollah dragged this country into the war?—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The paraeducator said Vaughn-Marcella allegedly grabbed the boy’s feet and dragged him 10 to 12 feet out of the classroom, according to the affidavit.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Filial duty yanked him right back to Passyunk Avenue, flipping Australian rib-eye alongside a patriarch who rested only on Sunday afternoons.—
Danielle Paquette The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
-
But cystic fibrosis was a tether, yanking O’Neal back home for treatments.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But as long as nobody gets hurt.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
That's not to say this defeat to a major play-off rival didn't hurt.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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