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
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Recent Examples of pull
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2026
Chicago firefighters pulled the unresponsive man from the river and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
Patients report that the pull of nicotine, alcohol, even gambling fades alongside their appetite.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, STAT, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull
Verb
Afterwards, pull the entire plants with their roots and add them to your compost pile.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2026
Chicago firefighters pulled the unresponsive man from the river and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
Before cleaning the handles, knobs, or drawer pulls, consider the hardware material.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
Patients report that the pull of nicotine, alcohol, even gambling fades alongside their appetite.
—Ziyad Al-Aly, STAT, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
Verb
-
On the non-passenger side, freight carriers hauled 6% less cargo in January compared with the same month in 2025, though international cargo rose 2%.—
Alex Driggars,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Singh was stopped for inspection at a weigh station while hauling a load of frozen chicken along Interstate 80.—
Simon Hankinson,
Boston Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Broncos’ offensive woes allowed San Jose State to stretch its lead back out to double digits, 67-56, across the next five minutes.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The 2nd District stretches from the central part of the state west to the Mississippi River and is considered a Democratic stronghold, setting Thompson up to win his 18th congressional term.—
JEFF AMY AND SOPHIE BATES THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If a public request tugs at private feelings, pause to check your boundaries, then accept only what supports family rhythms and true priorities.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
-
His latest work treasures motion in both its study of dance music that straddles the 20th and 21st centuries and its gentle tug away from pure pop.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Timotheé Chalamet has picked up a habit for borrowing Kylie Jenner’s mini Kelly, and A$AP Rocky is very much in his Chanel bag era like Styles, while also being spotted toting gargantuan Louis Vuitton bags (Rihanna’s influence) and chic Celine luggage.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The former fake hotel is now full of glistening bronze pipes, a retro futurist look that former Imagineer Joe Rohde, who led the design, has said takes influence from the high-tech aesthetic of architect Renzo Piano, who worked on France’s Pompidou Centre.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The first half was scoreless with Sacramento holding 60% of possession while Tulsa had a 9-3 shot advantage.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Ole Miss jumped out to a 23-2 lead over the Commodores and held a 32-point advantage at the halftime break.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Miller made efforts to clean up the scene before dragging the 86-year-old’s body to a cellar under the shed, where she was later found, the indictment read.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Each team has to drag three giant snakes through a bunch of obstacles and then get a ball through a snake maze to win immunity.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This White House has also gone out of its way to slow or halt the development of solar and wind power, including multiple attempts to yank permits for offshore wind projects that have all been rejected by courts.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Grand Rapids yanked Sherlock with 44 seconds to play, and the extra man paid off as Jameson Duell scored 15 seconds later to tie the game and send it into overtime.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But attacks will hurt sectors such as tourism, aviation, and logistics.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
-
When Georgia became a candidate to join the European Union in 2023 — which could help minimize shipping and import costs — the EU warned that the bills had hurt its chances.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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