PULLING Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

pulling

verb

present participle of pull

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

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

as in stretching

to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure lift the crate carefully, or you'll pull a muscle

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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 pulling The Moon enters practical Capricorn this morning, pulling attention toward structure, responsibility, and the work that needs real support beneath it. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026 Brent Fannin, 38, was the first activist to discover the FWC was pulling critics’ DAVID records. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026 The condition may develop from frequently bending the elbow when pulling, reaching or lifting, leaning on the elbow, or from arthritis, bone spurs and previous elbow fractures. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026 Collector item drops, album release celebrations and meet-and-greets tied to TV shows, films or music artists are pulling fans into stores in ways online orders can’t replicate. — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026 In her absence, Shadow is pulling double duty, caring for two growing eaglets — Sandy and Luna — by feeding them and protecting their territory. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 If possible, avoid reducing retirement contributions or pulling from retirement accounts to accommodate high gas prices. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 24 July 2026 Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, a former right back who played alongside Messi in the 2006 World Cup, solved that problem by moving Messi to right wing, tweaking formations and pulling from a bench superior to England’s. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026 The halo wheels enable scrolling, pushing, pulling, and tilting, designed to keep drivers' eyes on the road. — Greg Migliore, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling

Verb

The payoff is full-body strength, better posture and a functional carryover that shows up in everyday life, from hauling groceries to standing taller at your desk.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
The move traces back to farmers hauling buckets, equipment or seed before modern machinery took over the work.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026

Definition of hauling

Verb

Miller has entered the conversation for most dominant closer ever, and multiple contenders are interested in prying him away from a middling team.

— The Athletic MLB Staff, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Not with these linen panels that Malek Barney recommends—the thicker fabric strikes that Goldilocks balance between privacy and natural light, letting sunlight gently filter through while still shielding your space from prying eyes.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 22 June 2026

Definition of prying

Verb

The attacks targeted Kyiv and nine other regions, the president said, stretching from Lviv in the country's west and its border with Poland to Sumy and Kharkiv in the northeast of the country, close to the border with Russia.

— David Brennan, ABC News, 30 July 2026
The impending impact, scientists say, offers a chance to analyze the crater and plume of dust stretching several miles above the surface.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 30 July 2026

Definition of stretching

Verb

This seems especially true if there are hiccups in correct window measurement or ordering, which can lead to long delays and projects dragging on and on.

— Jason Rueger, USA Today, 29 July 2026
At Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz County, a lifeguard was captured on video dragging a boy out of the water in a harrowing rescue.

— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026

Definition of dragging

Verb

The tentacular Scylla is seen briefly but makes an impact, yanking sailors off Odysseus’s ship in a series of loud jump scares.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 July 2026
Pinned beneath her rotting legs in his recliner chair, Loftis narrowly escapes by yanking its lever, catapulting the hag over his head.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of yanking

Verb

Christian Kirk has been out since straining a calf in Sunday’s opening session.

— Cam Inman, Mercury News, 31 July 2026
Officials insist political or academic criticism remains protected, but the decree raises unanswered questions about how hate speech will be defined and enforced, already straining relations with neighboring Brazil.

— Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

Definition of straining

Verb

Prying policy specifics from a political candidate often is like tugging a bone from a bulldog.

— George F. Will, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
Jude, meanwhile, was shifting from tossing cones to tugging at his ears, afflicted with the same malady that had landed several of the toddlers on the room’s version of the injury list.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026

Definition of tugging

Verb

The analyst’s value has shifted from extracting data to interrogating what the system surfaces.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Even better, because SM Energy is extracting minerals horizontally 7,500 feet underground, Draco will minimize oil and gas surface activity in that area.

— Aaron Harber, Denver Post, 28 July 2026

Definition of extracting

Browse Nearby Words

pull in

pulling

pulling a face

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Style

“Pulling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of pulling

verb

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