as in fulfilling
to carry through (as a process) to completion
the rebel forces pulled off a surprisingly successful offensive against the better equipped government troops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 off
The Miami quarterback was minutes removed from throwing the game-sealing interception that ended UM’s chances of pulling off a comeback to win their sixth national title.
—
Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026
So who and what is Palm Tree Crew, the mysterious entity that’s pulling off the events Billy McFarland could only dream of?
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026
From an early age, her big sister was teaching her all about pulling off a matching moment.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
Mastering proportions, for one, is key to pulling off a loose-fitting look without getting lost in it.
—Sri Rain Stewart, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Instead of pulling off a strong road win to lift the team’s spirits, the Rockets saw another close game slip away on the road as the questions about this group’s ability to execute during pivotal moments are only getting louder by the day.
—William Guillory, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, Morgan's hopes of pulling off her surprise for Uncle Tommy get sacked.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
Louisville should climb into the rankings after pulling off the upset.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
The best curvy denim skirts The right fit is key to pulling off a denim skirt of any variety, but finding the right one requires time and research.
—Avery Matera, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025
Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2026
So who and what is Palm Tree Crew, the mysterious entity that’s pulling off the events Billy McFarland could only dream of?
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026
From an early age, her big sister was teaching her all about pulling off a matching moment.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
Mastering proportions, for one, is key to pulling off a loose-fitting look without getting lost in it.
—Sri Rain Stewart, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Instead of pulling off a strong road win to lift the team’s spirits, the Rockets saw another close game slip away on the road as the questions about this group’s ability to execute during pivotal moments are only getting louder by the day.
—William Guillory, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, Morgan's hopes of pulling off her surprise for Uncle Tommy get sacked.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
Louisville should climb into the rankings after pulling off the upset.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
The best curvy denim skirts The right fit is key to pulling off a denim skirt of any variety, but finding the right one requires time and research.
—Avery Matera, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling off
Verb
-
The cat family is really, very fulfilling to me.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Androw, owner of E & D Pizza in Avon and a leader on the national pizza scene is known for using pizza for good causes from hunger to fulfilling the wishes of terminally ill children.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
By controlling edge recombination through passivation, these wafers can maintain strong carrier collection and high efficiency, translating their theoretical advantages into practical, high-performing solar cells.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The Bluewater Kings Band will be performing throughout the reception, with instrumentals during cocktail hour.—
Hannah Kirby,
jsonline.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
OpenAI is now offering agents that are more about automating workflows—logging into applications, executing tasks, and managing tasks without much human hand-holding.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Wednesday’s cuts are the culmination of years of difficult industry-wide headwinds, damaging ownership decisions, leadership mismanagement, and turnover that kept the Post from developing and executing goals.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
High-resistivity wafers enter the high-level injection regime more readily than low-resistivity ones, a physical characteristic that underlies their superior intrinsic potential for achieving high fill factors.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Ramos-Rivera is achieving those dreams as the first student of his age to work a professional dance job, according to Smutek.—
Bridget Fogarty,
jsonline.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Magic rookie Jase Richardson fell short of accomplishing his goal of winning the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend on Saturday night, but the 20-year-old guard has no regrets participating in the highlight event.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Demonstrating that government can take care of the basics while accomplishing big things, which requires following through on our commitment to invest in critical needs like water, connectivity, and healthcare.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Last week, the topic took center stage again when Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, posted a video accusing Armenian crime groups of carrying out widespread hospice fraud in Los Angeles.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
As Operation Metro Surge got into full swing earlier this month, more than 3,000 federal immigration agents flooded into Minnesota, carrying out sweeping detentions and facing off with protesters in tense confrontations.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In saliva samples from 628 adults, researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi found that people living with obesity host a distinct oral microbiome, one that differs not just in species, but in what those microbes are actively doing.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Gage’s Robert is also no slouch in the come-on department, gushing over Jack’s appearance and enticing him by wearing women’s lingerie and doing you don’t want to know what else.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Rather than making a dispassionate case against the idea that the country was founded to enslave Africans, MAGA is taking down plaques commemorating basic facts, such as Washington’s slaveholding.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
-
This week, a 51-year-old woman was sentenced to federal prison for making far-out and ultimately weightless accusations – that her former spouse had illegally accessed her bank account as an astronaut aboard the International Space Station in the summer of 2019.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pulling off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling%20off. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
