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
Boston is still favored to advance and in Game 3 on the road, but the 76ers will have hope of pulling off the upset of the Eastern Conference favorites.
—
Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Except last season, when Christian McCaffrey started all 19 games and led the NFL in touches while almost pulling off the 1,000-yard rushing/receiving double-double.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
On a recent Thursday morning, cars whizzed over the bridge with several vehicles pulling off on the side of the road to visit Long's doughnut line.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026
In California, the law prevents incumbents from pulling off the kind of underhanded stunt that Garcia and Daines managed.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Down 23 points at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, Brooklyn still found a way to beat the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, pulling off the fifth-largest comeback in franchise history and avoiding a season sweep.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
There's nothing the couple loves more than pulling off the road to enjoy a local diner or small clam shack.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026
Shenzhen is likened to a vibrant harbor for dreamers, and the hotel is pulling off the feat of becoming a gathering place for tech professionals and financial elites.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
What’s more American than pulling off a victory after a kick in the teeth?
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Except last season, when Christian McCaffrey started all 19 games and led the NFL in touches while almost pulling off the 1,000-yard rushing/receiving double-double.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
On a recent Thursday morning, cars whizzed over the bridge with several vehicles pulling off on the side of the road to visit Long's doughnut line.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026
In California, the law prevents incumbents from pulling off the kind of underhanded stunt that Garcia and Daines managed.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Down 23 points at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, Brooklyn still found a way to beat the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, pulling off the fifth-largest comeback in franchise history and avoiding a season sweep.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
There's nothing the couple loves more than pulling off the road to enjoy a local diner or small clam shack.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026
Shenzhen is likened to a vibrant harbor for dreamers, and the hotel is pulling off the feat of becoming a gathering place for tech professionals and financial elites.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
What’s more American than pulling off a victory after a kick in the teeth?
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling off
Verb
-
This was the 10th overall pick the Giants acquired after trading All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals last week, fulfilling his trade request amid a contract dispute.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Cozy nights, redecorating, family affairs or inviting someone sweet into your personal space can feel especially fulfilling.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, said in a statement that the renowned performing artist will offer a thrilling glimpse into the minds of newsmakers.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
-
For the project, Theron, famous for performing the vast majority of her stunts in action films like Atomic Blonde and The Old Guard, trained with rock climber Beth Rodden to believably portray Sasha, an avid adventurer.—
Nigel Smith,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Celonis analyzed the 5,000 delivery runs a day the brewery was executing, worked out how to make the runs more efficient, and reduced the number of journeys by 17%.—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
-
New York City Councilman Chi Osse was arrested Wednesday while protesting the eviction of one of his constituents, blocking city marshals from executing the tenant’s removal.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What went into achieving that brilliant energy between you and Mitchell, behind the scenes?—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Sacking him is an embarrassment for all concerned, but 106 days after his appointment, Chelsea’s executives felt a change was needed to give the club the best possible chance of achieving their remaining aims for the season.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The greatest scorer in NBA history and his 21-year-old son have been teammates for nearly two years, but the prospect of accomplishing a new first is still special to both generations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Best of luck accomplishing your goals today, and of course, do keep in touch.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Duprey's death came as Duran and other narcotics officers were carrying out an undercover drug bust in the Bronx in 2023.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Artist Davide Balula had three performers, clad in black and white, dancing in slow motion, apparently carrying out directives for how to arrange themselves that appeared on a screen, as if in a high-concept version of the old Milton Bradley game Twister.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Foo Fighters, pretty much the definition of a major international 21st century rock band, is doing a pop-up show in Bridgeport.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
-
What Laura is doing is really important, but other things are really important to her.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The agency added city funding is expected to make up the majority of its staffing budget going forward, making its future structure heavily dependent on decisions by the City of Los Angeles.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Las Vegas has depth at the edge, making the Auburn product an interesting pick considering needs like offensive line, defensive tackle and wide receiver are still unfilled.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pulling off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling%20off. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
