PULLS Synonyms: 178 Similar and Opposite Words

pulls 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pull

as in hauls

to cause to follow by applying steady force on a team of horses pulling a heavy wagon

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Relevance

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as in yanks

to draw out by force or with effort the dentist had to struggle to pull the tooth

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as in stretches

to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure lift the crate carefully, or you'll pull a muscle

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pulls

2 of 2

noun

plural of pull

as in tugs

the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force I gave the door such a pull that when it suddenly opened, I nearly fell backwards

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as in sways

the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly their lawyer supposedly has a lot of pull with the administration in Washington

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as in edges

the more favorable condition or position in a competition a political candidate with all of the pull that comes with a vast fortune and famous surname

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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 pulls

Verb

Will pulls Sandoval away by his waist. — Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 That last flavor is augmented by the whiskey’s higher proof, which veers toward burn but pulls back at the last minute. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 June 2026 As Otto groans, Rhaenrya pulls back and cleaves off Otto's head. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 29 June 2026 Any furniture piece that pulls double duty is a worthy investment. — Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2026 Carín León sees the World Cup as something that pulls different cultures together. — CBS News, 27 June 2026 The Plateau and Mile End might be known today for their posh hipsters and nightlife hotspots, but this tour pulls back the curtain on the history found in this part of the city. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 June 2026 The previous night’s service, in which the entire kitchen pulls together under Sydney’s leadership, crystallized his need to move on. — Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 26 June 2026 Dembele’s pace stretches defenses, Olise has developed into one of Europe’s most creative playmakers and Barcola's intelligent movement constantly pulls defenders out of position. — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Noun

Borcherding recommends making sure that the mounting hole width lines up with your existing pulls. — Jane Kim, The Spruce, 11 June 2026 Schrader suggests wiping down cabinetry knobs or pulls, light switches, and doorknobs at least once a month to make your home more sanitary. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 June 2026 The leather is accented by tonal crimson suede paisley cutouts and the style also includes extra short Western earn pulls with bullet pull holes. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 22 May 2026 So finding a cheap route to the moon has a lot to do with gravity, specifically the gravitational pulls of both Earth and the moon. — Julian Dossett, Space.com, 20 May 2026 Paint the walls, opt for an interesting wallpaper pattern, replace the toilet and vanity, swap out tacky old hardware for stylish knobs and pulls, and install new light fixtures. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2026 Hock led the Cobras in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns this season while sophomore Tatiana Alicea led in total flag pulls. — Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 17 May 2026 Irwin, who is the sister of former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Trent Irwin, recorded 94 flag pulls and 15 interceptions as a safety. — Dan Albano, Oc Register, 26 June 2026 The promotion dropped on Monday, June 29 and almost immediately, the original $150,000 budget allocated to the promotion was drained —covering some 25,000 pulls. — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulls

Verb

Having already been booked for a foul on Brobbey, Fofana hauls down Wilson Isidor and earns his club’s eighth red card of the Premier League season.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 24 May 2026
According to the military newspaper Stars and Stripes, the Thunderbirds cost taxpayers about $35 million a year in salaries, aircraft, fuel, rehearsals and the C-17 cargo plane that hauls 50-plus support crew and spare parts to every stop on the tour.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026

Definition of hauls

Verb

Like a false note on an out-of-tune piano, a clunky verb, a sentence without rhythm, yanks the reader out the flow of the work.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
Maden takes thee wine bottle from him and the officers reach for his wrists but Brown resists and yanks his arms back, the video shows.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026

Definition of yanks

Verb

With a history that stretches back to 1221, this is considered the world’s oldest pharmacy, where Dominican friars produced medicinal tinctures and perfumes.

— Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2026
The rivalry between the neighboring nations stretches back over 100 years on the pitch without ever being one that has slipped into hatred.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

Definition of stretches

Noun

Those ⁠vessels are smaller commercial ships, including five smaller oil tankers, coastal ships and tugs, according to analysis of the vessels waiting.

— Reuters, NBC news, 24 June 2026
Your 8th House of Intimacy and Resources tugs on play as the intuitive Moon squares messenger Mercury in your 5th House of Creativity.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2026

Definition of tugs

Noun

The 20-year-old artist fills Visitor with influences from the all-time greats — like Frank and Nina and Etta.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2026
Dar Zéro founder Brigid Smith stakes her claim on bohemian style, blending gritty luxury with elevated, global influences.

— Rebecca Suhrawardi, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of influences

Noun

Fold the foil in half, then fold up the edges to make 2-inch-high sides.

— Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 July 2026
Authorities appeared concerned about the dangers of having a large crowd alongside the procession, with officials on loudspeakers urging the public to walk slowly, not to push and to stay to the edges of the street.

— Nasser Karimi, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of edges

Verb

Stanford research on more than 100,000 developers found that teams often feel quicker with AI early on, while at the same time racking up technical debt that drags on them later.

— Neo Lee, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Frieson then appears, drags her by the arm, and closes the door.

— Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 June 2026

Definition of drags

Verb

There are swooping close encounters with heavenly bodies, Lego blocks in antigravity mode and swarms of Separators, a sort of astro-anthropomorphic version of the tool that pries apart Lego bricks in real life.

— Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
The show’s biggest laugh may come when Testa pries open Costanzo’s mouth and pronounces just how many performances of Norma Galas has left.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025