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
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Recent Examples of pull
Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
According to Khare, the plane would only remain on the ground for eight hours, meaning every runner had to finish within that window or risk being pulled from the course.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2026
The West End may look different in the years ahead, but the instinct that built the fish fry, and the pull toward gathering, feeding people and making a day out of it, has a way of finding its way back.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull
Verb
To encourage them to grow out into the soil instead of continuing to circle, either pull them free with your fingers or cut them with sharp pruners.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
According to Khare, the plane would only remain on the ground for eight hours, meaning every runner had to finish within that window or risk being pulled from the course.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
The fabric is soft and stretchy with a pull-on waistband that makes long flights and train rides far more tolerable.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2026
The West End may look different in the years ahead, but the instinct that built the fish fry, and the pull toward gathering, feeding people and making a day out of it, has a way of finding its way back.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
Verb
-
The new law, which took effect in October, requires tow truck companies to give owners notice before hauling away a car for minor issues like failing to display an apartment complex’s parking permit or parking in the wrong space.—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The new law, which took effect in October, requires tow truck companies to give owners notice before hauling away a car for minor issues like failing to display an apartment complex’s parking permit or parking in the wrong space.—
Ginny Monk,
ProPublica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That means by the time an indictment is returned, the factual narrative typically reflects a backward-looking account of conduct that may stretch over a decade.—
Andrew S. Boutros,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The candidates themselves must live within the district’s boundaries, which stretch across large portions of northwest and west-central Georgia and include parts of western metro Atlanta.—
Drew Kann,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Instead, use your thumb and forefinger to grasp the berry at the stem and give it a gentle tug.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Matching net-zero targets The Svitzer Balder is an innovative TRAnsverse tug design.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Foreign adversaries such as the CCP use a wide range of tools to project influence inside the United States, from academic partnerships and intellectual property theft to land acquisition, supply chain leverage and political lobbying.—
Joe Gebbia Sr,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The Seoul High Court said that a first lady, being closest to a president, represents the country together with her husband and has a big influence on him.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Minutes earlier, Kelsy took advantage of an uncharacteristically lax exchange, blindsiding Jeppe Tverskov to take possession and create an instant breakaway opportunity.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Okongwu took advantage of it and drove to the basket for a quick shot.—
Lauren Williams,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The wave of online comments was sparked by the boss of condom maker Karex, Goh Miah Kiat, who said the Malaysian company planned to raise prices by 20%-30% and possibly more if supply chain disruptions due to the Iran war drag on.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
-
After dragging Newport from right to left and back to the right again, holding midfielder Ashley Charles goes over the top to find Ilunga on the right.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson could’ve yanked him for the veteran Harrison Barnes.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Lindor, who has been the subject of criticism for his play thus far, yanked a shot into the seats, scoring Marcus Semien and Carson Benge — one of the few positives from this night.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When Yoon was in office, Kim was embroiled in a series of scandals that hurt her husband’s approval rating and provided relentless political ammunition to his rivals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
When Yoon was in office, Kim was embroiled in scandals that hurt her husband’s approval rating and provided political ammunition to his rivals.—
Hyung-Jin Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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