pulling

verb

present participle of pull
1
as in hauling
to cause to follow by applying steady force on a team of horses pulling a heavy wagon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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 pulling The first daily chart, going back to July, shows PJP rallying through the summer, topping in late August, and pulling back into October before advancing again. — Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026 With a tighter opening, the octopus added a step, pulling the remaining arms through before squeezing its head and mantle through separately. — Reuters, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2026 Other explanations included rifting, pulling and stretching of Earth’s crust, and a global drop in sea levels. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026 Hold the throttle open and pull the front brake, and the motor keeps pulling. — Kevin Fanady, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026 Hannah Waddingham Waddingham brought the drama to Thursday night’s red carpet with a voluminous updo, pulling her signature blonde hair to the back of her head and adding a high puff on top. — Arushi Jacob, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2026 When packing space is limited, every piece needs to be pulling double duty, which is where versatile matching sets like this Pinspark two-piece set come in handy. — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2026 Its long, slender, and flexible upper beak is great for pulling food out of nooks and crannies. — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 5 Nov. 2026 That includes making your bed, folding clothes, even pulling on a sweatshirt, where your nails are at risk of getting caught and pulling. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 30 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling
  1. hauling
  2. prying
  3. stretching
  4. dragging
  5. yanking
  6. straining
  7. tugging
  8. extracting
Verb
  • Dyed diesel is intended for off-road use, such as powering tractors and harvesters, while regular diesel is used in vehicles that travel on public roads, including trucks hauling agricultural goods.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Because few electric trucks are already hauling cargo on the roads, insurance prices are often high.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of hauling
Verb
  • At first there was just some casual small talk between them, then walks with their dogs, followed by dinners at pubs away from prying eyes and, finally, evenings spent cooking together.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Or prying mussels off rocks along South Africa’s Cape Peninsula.
    — Rachel Levin, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of prying
Verb
  • Watkins scored 11 points during a decisive third quarter in which USC outscored UNLV 31-10, stretching a 52-39 halftime lead to 83-49.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The National Weather Service temperature outlook for the next three months shows the likelihood of above-average temperatures stretching from the Pacific Northwest, through the Upper Midwest and right through the Northeast.
    — Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of stretching
Verb
  • Difficulties dragging the Tyler Technologies project over the finish line dogged Preckwinkle throughout the primary.
    — A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • After years of dragging friends through intense physical activities—zip-lining, gymnastics, pole, and even aerial skills—a game show felt like a lighter option, something everyone could enjoy.
    — Chanté Joseph, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of dragging
Verb
  • Shortly after, the video shows the same officer yanking him to the ground, punching and kicking him.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Zabransky was the first person to reach Rabb in the end zone, yanking him into the air for a bear hug.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of yanking
Verb
  • An unaffordable dream While daily costs are straining people’s wallets, longer-term investments like housing are also forcing voters to make sacrifices.
    — Alexandra Meier, NBC news, 3 Nov. 2026
  • By this point, the bubble of unspoken words between these two women is straining with tension.
    — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of straining
Verb
  • The formula also features hydrating glycerin and vitamin E to help each shade glide across lids without tugging.
    — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Rocki sat in a high chair while tugging on the long, black wig that was on her head.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of tugging
Verb
  • Potential applications include recharging visiting rovers, transmitting scientific data to Earth and powering equipment used for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), which involves extracting and processing local lunar materials.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Others are capable of evaluating trigonometric functions, extracting roots and calculating logarithms.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of extracting

Browse Nearby Words

pull in
pulling
pulling a face
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Cite this Entry

“Pulling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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