as in stopping
to bring (something) to a standstill
the jockey tried to pull up the apparently injured horse
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 up
For example, when Athena hits a step or an obstacle, the front flippers extend forward and upward, hooking onto the ledge before pulling up the rest of the robot and stabilizing it.
—
New Atlas, 13 Apr. 2026
From cargo ships crossing the ocean to the delivery van pulling up to your door, rising fuel and other energy prices are driving up the cost of transporting goods.
—CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Removing Existing Moss Since moss has no true root system, small areas of growth are easy to remove by simply raking or pulling up the moss.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
The Gothic revival building sits on a corner lot near the Power & Light District, and pulling up to the valet station signals the start of a true city break.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026
Brunson hit Smith with four crossovers into a step-back two to bring the Knicks within two, then invited Eason to perform the Electric Slide before pulling up for the go-ahead two with less than 30 seconds in regulation.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
And so there’s Bobby, pulling up in a stretch limo from Memphis.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Down dirt roads and behind stands of oak trees in their neighborhood, pump jacks nodded up and down, pulling up oil.
—Nick Bowlin, The Frontier, 16 Feb. 2026
Udogie came off in the second half at Old Trafford after pulling up while running down the left wing.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
New Atlas, 13 Apr. 2026
From cargo ships crossing the ocean to the delivery van pulling up to your door, rising fuel and other energy prices are driving up the cost of transporting goods.
—CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Removing Existing Moss Since moss has no true root system, small areas of growth are easy to remove by simply raking or pulling up the moss.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
The Gothic revival building sits on a corner lot near the Power & Light District, and pulling up to the valet station signals the start of a true city break.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026
Brunson hit Smith with four crossovers into a step-back two to bring the Knicks within two, then invited Eason to perform the Electric Slide before pulling up for the go-ahead two with less than 30 seconds in regulation.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
And so there’s Bobby, pulling up in a stretch limo from Memphis.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Down dirt roads and behind stands of oak trees in their neighborhood, pump jacks nodded up and down, pulling up oil.
—Nick Bowlin, The Frontier, 16 Feb. 2026
Udogie came off in the second half at Old Trafford after pulling up while running down the left wing.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling up
Verb
-
Meghan, 44, and Harry, 41, skipped a traditional airport photo op, instead departing in a convoy of vehicles without stopping to pose for the press.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
But with the brief resurgence of the run game, the run-stopping, athletic inside linebacker is a bit more crucial.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The September 2025 order cleared the way for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to resume broad sweeps in Los Angeles, halting a lower court ruling that restricted ICE's practices.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Israel halting its attacks on Lebanon has been a key condition for Iran war negotiations beginning, the speaker of Iran's parliament has said.—
Sean Conlon,Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What if the reason your company’s transformation keeps stalling has nothing to do with your strategy, your technology, or your goals?—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
If that cannot happen without stalling operations, the business needs to have enough extra people in the rotation to allow someone to step aside to resolve the situation.—
Robert Niles,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The designs are eye catching and beautiful, inspired by South Florida's beaches and ocean water.—
Najahe Sherman,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
With offensive coordinator Brad Idzik taking over play-calling, the Panthers have a much more pressing need for pass-catching playmakers than backfield bodies.—
Mike Kaye
April 14,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Senate Majority Leader Thune changed his vote from yes to no, giving himself the option of bringing up the motion again.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Gavin Grahovac took Yearwood by surprise with a two-RBI single, bringing up outfielder Caden Sorrell.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As a Biden aide told us, allocating scarce vaccines felt like drawing up Schindler’s list.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Geno Auriemma and his players drawing up plays with breakfast items for a hotel chain.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, the International Atomic Energy Agency had consistently certified Tehran was holding up its end of the bargain.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Last week, Xi met the leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the China-friendly Kuomintang, which is holding up a $40 billion special defense budget to purchase US weapons.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Other women who were checking the scene heard a baby crying and saw the car seat flipped on its side 20 feet from the car’s rear half on the grass.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Reduce the chances of yellow jackets nesting in your yard by checking around your space for unoccupied rodent burrows.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pulling up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling%20up. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
