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

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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
  • Pitcher said crews are still hauling large boulders and rockfall more than a week later.
    — Kelly Werthmann, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Adapting to the shock of higher prices meant that Crippen, who was hauling merchandise for online retailer Amazon, pushes the limits on the federal rules regarding driving time to increase time behind the wheel and lift earnings.
    — Kris B. Mamula, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of hauling
Verb
  • Josh Downs, a 5-foot-9 slot receiver, had torched Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed off the line of scrimmage, prying himself open on a slant pattern to prolong the drive.
    — Sam McDowell November 11, Kansas City Star, 11 Nov. 2026
  • 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
Definition of prying
Verb
  • Jim Gardiner, who was kicking off his campaign for a third term representing a ward stretching northwest from Irving Park to Sauganash.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
  • By stretching out their wings and riding these currents, vultures can gain altitude with little effort.
    — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of stretching
Verb
  • When a 69-year-old doctor refused, security officers forcibly removed him, dragging him down the aisle bloody, concussed, and with a broken nose and missing teeth.
    — Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The clip sees the singer in Hollywood and Paris, dragging a golden skeleton across the city landscapes.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 6 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
  • The United States must pursue delicate, nuanced diplomacy to avoid creating a stronger, legitimized North Korea; straining its alliances with Seoul and Tokyo; and debilitating the international nonproliferation regime.
    — Stephen E. Biegun, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Russian forces hammered energy ​infrastructure around Ukraine’s capital with missiles and drones overnight, straining Kyiv’s power supply ‌and heating systems as temperatures headed towards zero, officials said on Saturday.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of straining
Verb
  • Where most garage rock is designed to punch you in the gut, Twisted Teens’ songs seep into your bloodstream, tugging at the heartstrings while occasionally inducing hallucinations.
    — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
  • 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
Definition of tugging
Verb
  • Trump ordered his government to invade Venezuela, imprison its President, elevate a more compliant one, and start extracting that nation’s oil and gold.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The challenge is economically extracting its nearly invisible ions from brine.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 7 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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