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
show current usage.
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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
Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
However, scientists can infer that the shorter days are due to the Earth’s gravitational pull to our moon, and any long-term variations in Earth’s spin speed can be affected by factors like the complex motion of Earth’s core, oceans, and atmosphere.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Aug. 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
Plus, the decorative knob pull adds a beautiful accent to the piece.
—Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
However, scientists can infer that the shorter days are due to the Earth’s gravitational pull to our moon, and any long-term variations in Earth’s spin speed can be affected by factors like the complex motion of Earth’s core, oceans, and atmosphere.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
Verb
-
About twelve years ago, a contractor named Geary Blackwood hauled a massive flint rock to one of his properties, on a busy highway, to mark a row of mailboxes that kept getting mowed down.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
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Twice in his tenure, Xi has even hauled the entire high command to historic revolutionary sites where Mao institutionalized the party’s control of the military, reinforcing the military’s role as the armed wing of the Communist Party.—
JONATHAN A. CZIN,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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At its longest, the line stretched out the door and almost to the sidewalk, past three white Adirondack rocking chairs that were all in motion.—
Neal Rubin,
Freep.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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With domestic firefighting capacity stretched thin, Canada has also requested international aid.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The nearby fire department rushed by boat to the crash site and were assisted by a private tug boat that helped douse the fire that belched black smoke from the barge, said Alton Deputy Fire Chief Matt Fischer.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
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Most exoplanetary discoveries instead arise through far more indirect means, such as the dip in a star’s light caused by a world passing between its sun and our telescope or the tiny wobbling of a star caused by an orbiting planet’s gravitational tug.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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More than one third of the world’s clothing is designed by brands with Lectra technologies, according to the company’s data, reflecting its widespread behind-the-scenes influence in manufacturing.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
7 Aug. 2025
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Open-source projects often wield a different, more substantial type of influence over technical standards, security protocols and even the ethical frameworks that govern the use of technology.—
Kevin Korte,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Do rules reflect actual AI usage patterns among teens? Equity Access: Can all students access the same AI tools, or do policies create advantages for families with premium subscriptions?—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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The teams are ranked third and fourth in the Western Conference standings, with Minnesota holding a three-point advantage with 41 points.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In doing so, the currents drag swimmers out into open waters.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
16 Aug. 2025
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One person would hold the rod and drag ashore a thrashing, 200-pound sawfish.—
Jack Prator,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Sinner’s serve yanked him out to the left corner of the court.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
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Rafael Devers came up next and yanked an 0-1 fastball up in the zone over the wall in right-center field.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Neither featured again, their abrupt omission clearly hurting two players who had done so much to get Wrexham up and running again after being brought together following Palmer’s arrival in January 2022 from Wimbledon in a club record £300,000 deal.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
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And, before getting hurt, Paredes trailed just Altuve for leading the team in home runs.—
Tyler Small,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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