1
as in hauling
to cause to follow by applying steady force on
a team of horses pulling a heavy wagon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in prying
to draw out by force or with effort
the dentist had to struggle to pull the tooth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stretching
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure
lift the crate carefully, or you'll pull a muscle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pulling
The 2018 Hands-Free Georgia Act, which effectively banned drivers from holding phones, made pulling drivers over easier.
—
Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Saturday, and a good Samaritan is credited with pulling the three survivors out of the inlet, the USCG told The Charlotte Observer.
—Mark Price
april 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2026
Kirill Kaprizov completed his hat trick on a power play with less than two minutes to play, lifting Minnesota to a 5-4 win and pulling the Wild back into contention for home ice in the playoffs.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
In other words, the familiar Spoelstra-Ware push-pull continues, Spoelstra pushing Ware for more, or pulling his minutes.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
The organizations have different goals but have figured out how to work together, pulling resources to help one mother in need.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Instead of teaching students how to write a coherent paragraph, solve basic equations, or understand American history, schools seem to be more focused on pulling students into organized activism on some of the most divisive political issues in the country.
—Courtney Corbello, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Pumps are important and used for a variety of reasons, including assisting with pulling waste from the body.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Tonevich started backing off, pulling his stun gun.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Saturday, and a good Samaritan is credited with pulling the three survivors out of the inlet, the USCG told The Charlotte Observer.
—Mark Price
april 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2026
Kirill Kaprizov completed his hat trick on a power play with less than two minutes to play, lifting Minnesota to a 5-4 win and pulling the Wild back into contention for home ice in the playoffs.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
In other words, the familiar Spoelstra-Ware push-pull continues, Spoelstra pushing Ware for more, or pulling his minutes.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
The organizations have different goals but have figured out how to work together, pulling resources to help one mother in need.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
Instead of teaching students how to write a coherent paragraph, solve basic equations, or understand American history, schools seem to be more focused on pulling students into organized activism on some of the most divisive political issues in the country.
—Courtney Corbello, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Pumps are important and used for a variety of reasons, including assisting with pulling waste from the body.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Tonevich started backing off, pulling his stun gun.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling
Verb
-
Villagers’ days are spent hauling water for themselves and their livestock.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
But instead of hauling a trailer, the cargo is one gigantic watermelon, with an adorable tail on the end.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Entering his third season at the helm, Counsell is seemingly more comfortable with the uniqueness of managing the Cubs, from the day games to the prying media to the quirkiness of the ballpark, which can favor hitters one day and pitchers the next.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
There are those who close their social media accounts, those who move to a ranch away from prying eyes, and those who decide to address the issue.—
Alessandra De Tommasi,
Vanity Fair,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For a family stretching a tight grocery budget, $22 isn’t a smoothie.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Much of Colorado’s growth is now concentrated in a belt of counties stretching from Weld down to Elbert and El Paso counties, temporarily bypassing Arapahoe, which had the state’s biggest population loss in raw numbers.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Two days later, Gomes Akay was seen dragging a large suitcase that appeared to be overfilled from the hotel.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Gomes Akay was seen two days later dragging a large suitcase from the hotel.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Chelsea were a few seconds from going out of the quarter-finals (losing 3-2 on aggregate) when Arsenal full-back Katie McCabe halted a run by Chelsea’s USWNT forward Alyssa Thompson by grabbing Thompson’s ponytail and yanking it, as shown above.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
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Keep the movement coming from your ribs, rotating, not by yanking your neck.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Reaves missed 19 games after straining his left calf on Christmas.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Hundreds of people attended the Via Crucis in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood on Good Friday, straining their necks to catch a glimpse of the actor portraying Jesus in the final moments before his execution.—
Laura Turbay,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Nanny Aimee -- our second in command -- was moving through the far corners of the house, waking up each of the littles, kissing sleepy eyelids, tugging my two toddlers gently forward into the day.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
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Generally, both experts recommend being extra careful with blinds (following manufacturer directions, for example, and not tugging or pulling when dusting).—
Lori Keong,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And the largest tech companies in the world are extracting profit from it?—
Mark Olsen,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In fact, many collagen supplements are made by extracting collagen from the bones, skin, and feet of chickens.—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Health,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pulling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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