pull 1 of 2

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

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
Now, with soaring inflation and skyrocketing prices, pollsters said the economy is the very issue that could pull these voters back. Emily Chang, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025 If there is no parking lot or driveway to pull into, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road as far as possible. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
The models showed that the stars located near the center were traveling in quick, tight circles, which is a tell-tale sign of an immense gravitational pull generated by a black hole. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025 Not to mention, it can also be used to open ring-pull cans as well. Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
Verb
  • In Neil Jordan’s underrated romance, Farrell plays Syracuse, a fisherman and divorced dad who one day hauls up a mysterious woman out of the water.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Nip that sentiment in the bud by taking them out the following August for a few days of hauling fertilizer, picking rocks, wrestling farm implements, and driving tractors over unseen wasp nests.
    The Editors, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Maybe the trailing parent is simply the next logical step in an era when adolescence stretches longer.
    Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
  • The payments appeared set to stop at the beginning of November, as the shutdown has stretched into a new week.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The Wall Street Journal reports that regardless of how that fiscal tug-of- war turns out, health insurance premiums paid by Americans are expected to rise another 8% or 9% next year.
    Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
  • In the heart of the Amazon Basin, where the borders and cultures of Peru, Colombia and Brazil converge, a tiny, shape-shifting island has become the unlikely setting for a diplomatic tug of war.
    Sarah Hutter, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The pardon led to accusations of influence peddling, as Rich’s ex-wife made significant donations to the Democratic Party and the Clinton presidential library.
    David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez was dead against the idea, with his club arguing that breaking the traditional home and away format adulterated the competition, while also expressing concern over participating teams gaining a financial advantage.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Legalized betting has certain security advantages in that unusual betting patterns — such as large bets being placed on a random player’s performance — can be immediately flagged.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But as the stalemate has dragged on, some Democrats have been looking for a way out.
    Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Big bitcoin holders appear to be selling their tokens, threatening to drag the cryptocurrency deeper into the red, according to Citigroup.
    Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • While the Russian threatened to make history against Chicago just two nights earlier—he’d reached the 894 mark before the Blackhawks yanked their goalie—Ovechkin apparently wasn’t interested in breaking the record by way of an empty net.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Singleton’s simply too important as the lead communicator of the Broncos’ defense — wearing the green dot — for coordinator Vance Joseph to yank off the field.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If they were considered unimportant to the team’s chances of success, Zidane and Ancelotti did not worry too much if their feelings got hurt.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
  • This week's episode began with the announcement that Elaine Hendrix, star of the 1998 version of The Parent Trap, would be unable to compete in the competition that evening, after hurting her rib during rehearsals the same morning.
    Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

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