PULLING AWAY Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

pulling away

verb

present participle of pull away

as in detaching

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling away

Verb

There have been four reports of eyes detaching from the teething toy, but no injuries have been reported, federal officials said.

— Julia Hawkins, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Orion and the Artemis III crew will stay docked with Starship for about a day before detaching to begin preparations for their return to Earth.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of detaching

Verb

In reality, Loesby contends, many struggles reflect predictable structural mismatches — a lawyer who prefers depth and analysis struggling in a role that rewards constant responsiveness, or one who thrives on collaboration disengaging in isolation.

— Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Tolerating Chinese regional hegemony would throw East Asian allies under the bus, and disengaging from the Middle East would leave Israel to fend for itself.

— Leonard A. Schuette, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of disengaging

Verb

The other seats are all chained to the table for when Carrie sends everything in the room flying.

— Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
In 1983, the 12m yacht Azzurra — flying the YCCS burgee — represented Italy for the first time in the long history of the America’s Cup, the oldest sports trophy in international sport, finishing third in the challenger series at its first attempt.

— Andrew Rice, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of flying

Verb

Cutting Iran off completely from the UAE could deal a serious blow to the Islamic Republic’s economy — but experts say disentangling the pair’s commercial ties could prove difficult.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026
New characters and backstory details are dropped in before existing loose ends are tied up, resulting in unclear motivations and convoluted layers of subplot that, ultimately, do not prove relevant enough to have been worth disentangling.

— Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of disentangling

Verb

During the 1980s, Los Angeles saw another influx of Latin American immigration, including Mexicans and Central Americans fleeing poverty and war.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Following the incident, New Britain officials said witnesses reported seeing a vehicle fleeing the scene that was believed to possibly be involved.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of fleeing

Verb

Tehran has no intention of backing down in the face of an American naval blockade and attacks on its oil tankers, said the official, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Unfortunately, because the militias are extremely willing to use force against their own people, including against security forces, the government finds itself in a position of backing down in the face of these militias.

— Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of backing down

Verb

The Value Of Clarity Clarity is the ability to answer three questions without flinching.

— Andrew Kokes, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Amy Adams’ Anna Bowden — who has a complicated history with Max as his former lawyer — peeks through the curtain to spy on him, flinching as Max insists on snapping his own broken finger into place.

— Benjamin VanHoose, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

Definition of flinching

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Browse Nearby Words

pulling a face

pulling away

pulling down

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“Pulling away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling%20away. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of pulling away

verb

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