1
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
a powerful storm pulled down the old fishing shack, which had been immortalized in countless paintings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in demolishing
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces
an ugly billboard that was eventually pulled down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in earning
to receive as return for effort
he's pulling down six figures at that job
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pulling down
Jayden Boyd scored 9 points, but was a fiend on the boards pulling down 13 rebounds.
—
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
The 5-foot-7 Burzycki was good to go Thursday night, pulling down 11 rebounds to go with five points for the Vikings in a 55-42 nonconference win over host Lincoln-Way Central in New Lenox.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
But 6-foot-8 Eric Lopez kicked up his game, pulling down 14 rebounds and blocking nine shots.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Dunn led the Trojans with a season-high 29 points while pulling down five rebounds.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 19 Jan. 2026
The person, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation, said they were punched in the face after pulling down an officer’s mask who was dragging them out of the vehicle.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Weiss began pulling down as much as $150,000 per engagement, a point of contention in the pro-Israel space, where advocates give speeches for free.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025
Many airlines are pulling down their operations at Newark, Bastian said, which reduces some of the congestion at the airport.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
Everybody along the defensive line shows up, and the edge players do a nice job of coming in and pulling down running backs from behind before they can be pushed through the pile.
—Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
The 5-foot-7 Burzycki was good to go Thursday night, pulling down 11 rebounds to go with five points for the Vikings in a 55-42 nonconference win over host Lincoln-Way Central in New Lenox.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
But 6-foot-8 Eric Lopez kicked up his game, pulling down 14 rebounds and blocking nine shots.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Dunn led the Trojans with a season-high 29 points while pulling down five rebounds.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 19 Jan. 2026
The person, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation, said they were punched in the face after pulling down an officer’s mask who was dragging them out of the vehicle.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Weiss began pulling down as much as $150,000 per engagement, a point of contention in the pro-Israel space, where advocates give speeches for free.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025
Many airlines are pulling down their operations at Newark, Bastian said, which reduces some of the congestion at the airport.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
Everybody along the defensive line shows up, and the edge players do a nice job of coming in and pulling down running backs from behind before they can be pushed through the pile.
—Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling down
Verb
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But when the other side is destroying it, there are worse things to be than the alternative.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The European Union is moving forward with its ban on destroying unsold clothing, footwear and accessories.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The village is demolishing homes to make way for the redevelopment and will relocate residents elsewhere on campus, Timberlake said.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
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The project calls for demolishing a 1949 single-family home and building a 2,500-square-foot contemporary building to be used as a Jewish ritual pool for women for spiritual purification.—
Lauren Costantino
February 11,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Liu surprised fans when retiring a month after earning a bronze medal at the ‘22 World Championships.—
Elliott Almond,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Indiana Senate passes under-the-radar provision scrapping 'low-earning' college degrees.—
Evan Frank,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Steam cleaning is an effective way to sanitize and refresh your mattress, but the wrong technique can end up ruining the fabric.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
15 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, Bree doesn’t even realize that Evan is already in the process of ruining everything.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Instead of tearing down the brick, crews constructed internal walls to keep the outside brick facade through historical preservation techniques.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Just over a year ago in Syria, when Bashar al-Assad’s rule ended, demonstrations of joy erupted all over the country and in many cases focused on tearing down images of him and his father.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The pair achieved as much in Gibson’s very first World Cup event, with the duo winning the mixed relay race to secure a spot for the Games.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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The winning bid for the rare card was placed by venture capitalist AJ Scaramucci, the son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This happens when heavy rain or snowmelt raises the river level, shattering the existing ice cover.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
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The first attempt ended in shattering disappointment.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the end of the 19th century, the United States took the island by force and set up its own lucrative sugar colony, with mainland corporations controlling a significant share of production and reaping massive profits.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
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From Bengaluru to Berlin, Boston to São Paulo, Shenzhen to Seoul, cities are reaping the benefits of establishing and supporting dynamic research and development (R&D) hubs.—
Abdulla Belhoul,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pulling down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling%20down. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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