PULL AWAY Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

pull away

verb

Definition of pull away

as in to detach

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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 away The Sparks went on a 13-2 run late in the fourth quarter to pull away. — Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 The more Tom tries to pick up the parental slack left by his wife’s sudden death, the more Jake seems to pull away, which allows the new Whisper Man to gain a toehold in their lives. — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded with unusual restraint to Trump’s provocations and has resisted demands to pull away from Washington. — C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026 Bake in preheated oven until the top is dry and firm, and the bread is beginning to pull away from the edges of the pan (a wooden pick inserted in the center will not come out clean), about 1 hour, 20 minutes. — Torie Cox, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pull away

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull away

Verb

Its style is terse, cool, and detached, presenting warfare as primarily a problem of calculation rather than brute force or individual courage.

— Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
There are melancholic elements, including human characters that can seem lost in their thoughts — impassive and detached from the world.

— Miles Socha, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of detach

Verb

Talented operators, the kind of people who joined precisely because they were trusted to act, begin to disengage.

— Abdulrahman Hammad, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Pilot declared an emergency once autopilot disengaged The pilot and six passengers were aboard a 2010 Pilatus PC-12 Next Generation aircraft that day when the plane crashed about 12 miles northeast of Recluse, Wyoming, near Gillette.

— Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of disengage

Verb

After 2022, most of Russia’s remaining independent media outlets, along with hundreds of thousands of antiwar citizens, fled into exile; any critics who remained in Russia faced the threat of persecution.

— MICHAEL KIMMAGE, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026
As the dust settles, John flees, but Zoe comes with a gun to finish off Hal in the rubble.

— Joe Otterson, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of flee

Verb

His remarks escalated a confrontation over New York’s efforts to disentangle local police from federal immigration enforcement.

— María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Financial intermediaries and criminal fraud enterprises are coming into closer proximity, which is making their activities harder to disentangle and disrupt.

— Alvin Camba, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of disentangle

Verb

Trump said on social media alongside a photo of former President Dwight Eisenhower, who was the first president to fly in a helicopter.

— Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2026
At about midnight, the mayflies stopped flying and the fish disappeared.

— Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of fly

Verb

According to the Office for National Statistics, 79% of adults in Great Britain reported in April an increase in their cost of living, despite a climb down in inflation to a current level of 3%.

— Callum Sutherland, Time, 17 July 2026
One officer moved Nikolau over so her soon-to-be husband, Beerkus, could climb down.

— Saleen Martin, USA Today, 2 July 2026

Definition of climb down

Browse Nearby Words

pull a face

pull away

pullback

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Style

“Pull away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull%20away. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of pull away

verb

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