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
Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2023
As ghosts, fate and the sheer power of true love pull Nicholas and Isabel together, so too does life threaten to tear them apart.
—Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2023
Book Marks
june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Each piece reflects the emotional journey of the show’s protagonist, Belly (Lola Tung), through design elements such as infinity rope motifs and delicate seashell accents, which evoke the pull of summer romance and the series’ seaside setting.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pull
Verb
During the event, Riley wore black boots, a black dress, held a black and gold bag, and rocked a pair of massive gold hoops to pull it all together.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2023
As ghosts, fate and the sheer power of true love pull Nicholas and Isabel together, so too does life threaten to tear them apart.
—Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2023
Noun
Considering the convergence of current cultural bugaboos on deck here—race, class, cancel culture, immigration—The Uproar mostly wears its topicality lightly, preferring the granular pull of human drama to editorial hectoring or lectures.
—Book Marks
june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Each piece reflects the emotional journey of the show’s protagonist, Belly (Lola Tung), through design elements such as infinity rope motifs and delicate seashell accents, which evoke the pull of summer romance and the series’ seaside setting.
—Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
Verb
-
Just think about where your luggage has been; it gets hauled through airports, goes for a ride on a conveyor belt, rolls across dusty parking lots, is stashed into overhead bins, and is often handled by multiple people with no guarantee of clean hands.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 June 2025
-
Those were frugal, pragmatic solutions; every stone that could be reused was another one that didn’t have to be quarried, cut, hauled, and placed.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Closing arguments are set to begin this week, on Thursday, and stretch into the following day.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
-
Iran has not publicly rejected the ceasefire but tensions with the U.S. and Israel remain high following a conflict that has stretched over 12 days.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
Give one of the center leaves of the pineapple a firm but gentle tug.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
22 June 2025
-
Ripe tomatoes should easily come off the plant with a gentle tug.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
This is the new reality: The click may vanish, but the influence remains.—
Sergio Alvarez,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
While sequestering a jury — essentially isolating the 12 jurors and six alternates assigned to the case from the outside world — can be challenging, the process may prove to be essential in eliminating external influences.—
Tracy Wright , Lauryn Overhultz , Maria Paronich , Brendan McDonald,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
The underlying numbers, however, show that Guatemala really maximized its opportunity after gaining a numerical advantage.—
Jeff Rueter,
New York Times,
30 June 2025
-
But as a two-term governor in a blue state, Pritzker has the luxury of not having to make a choice under the usual constraints of seeking a political advantage, said Robin Johnson, a governmental relations, public policy and political consultant.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
Tense scenes played out in the chamber as voting came to a standstill, dragging on for hours as holdout senators huddled for negotiations.—
Lisa Mascaro,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
-
Voting had come to a standstill, dragging for more than three hours, with holdout senators huddling for negotiations and taking private meetings off the Senate floor.—
Ani Freedman,
Fortune,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
The injunction holds that the administration is blocked from yanking Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which was based on a May 22 revocation notice the Department of Homeland Security sent to Harvard administrators.—
Emily Berk,
NBC news,
20 June 2025
-
There was a collective gasp when Ohtani yanked a pitch that sailed to the backstop, allowing Tatis to get to second base.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 June 2025
Verb
-
This would hurt even the most polished comedy or the most clockwork heist movie, let alone one that hopes to be both.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
26 June 2025
-
Ohtani has provided a critical bat at the top of the Dodgers' order and there was some concern that adding a pitching workload might hurt his offensive production.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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