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
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Recent Examples of pulling off
If Colorado wins the turnover battle, its chances of pulling off an upset increase.
—
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
Trump has already shown his pragmatic side by pulling off a deal to keep TikTok in business in the US.
—semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025
But that didn’t stop them from pulling off a history-making win.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 25 Sep. 2025
The Green Bay Packers rocked the NFL this week, pulling off a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Cowboys for Micah Parsons.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Aug. 2025
But there are at least a couple of opponents capable of pulling off an upset.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2025
That’s why Trump wants to change the script by pulling off the unprecedented effort to redraw the congressional maps in the middle of the decade.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
The hackers pulling off these huge breaches are often in their early 20s or even teens.
—Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
One particularly feisty male attacked Wavy Dave, pulling off his claw and ending the experiment.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2025
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
Trump has already shown his pragmatic side by pulling off a deal to keep TikTok in business in the US.
—semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025
But that didn’t stop them from pulling off a history-making win.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 25 Sep. 2025
The Green Bay Packers rocked the NFL this week, pulling off a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Cowboys for Micah Parsons.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Aug. 2025
But there are at least a couple of opponents capable of pulling off an upset.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2025
That’s why Trump wants to change the script by pulling off the unprecedented effort to redraw the congressional maps in the middle of the decade.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2025
The hackers pulling off these huge breaches are often in their early 20s or even teens.
—Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
One particularly feisty male attacked Wavy Dave, pulling off his claw and ending the experiment.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling off
Verb
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But Yu said the e-tail giant isn’t concerned about fulfilling orders from other platforms.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
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The ability to guide people in pregnancy, childbirth and beyond is, for me, the most intimate and fulfilling part of medicine.—
Tami S. Rowen,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Brewers ranked a more respectable 12th in slugging percentage, and some of their most dynamic hitters were either not performing or not yet on the team early in the season.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Dupieux’s films always feature prestigious French casts and have become a reference for young cinephiles, performing well at the local box office and selling around the world.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While executing the search warrant, 34 dogs − mostly Chinese Crested but including a mix of breeds and ages − were found confined to a single room.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The Celtics have been one of the best executing teams for years.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Cosmedica’s advantage is its process aimed at achieving a soft, age-appropriate, and natural-looking hairline that blends into everyday life.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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As a means of achieving political change, the boycott is ill-conceived, targeting a vital source of artistic dissent rather than policy makers.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In some accounts of American history, the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin decisively turned public opinion against slavery, accomplishing what pamphlets and political rhetoric could not.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
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Sitting in a hot tub in Las Vegas with a crew of friends and family, the pair raised glasses of Dom Pérignon and toasted accomplishing the rarest of feats — making the rare dance crossover hit.—
Katie Bain,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Emergency services are scrambling to find survivors today, with military troops, police and civilian volunteers carrying out door-by-door searches.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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In June, the Islamic State was suspected of carrying out a deadly suicide bombing at a Greek Orthodox church in Syria, which killed 22 worshipers and injured 63 others.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Even though Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to give Amorim a full season, and losing to Sunderland was not regarded as terminal, doing so would have brought immense pressure.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Hi hi hello, how is everyone doing on this lovely Sunday?—
Rosalind Bowling,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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By law, half of the 20,000 available scholarships are required to go to families with no income cap, meaning even those making $1 million or more could qualify.—
Vivian Jones,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Oct. 2025
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While local residents hope a new plant could bring economic growth, unanswered questions about use of the additional land are making some uneasy.—
Miranda Dunlap,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pulling off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling%20off. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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