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

During meiosis, a structure called the spindle forms, which lines the chromosomes up and eventually pulls them apart. — Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026 The question of who pulls more cross-over voters and independents could determine whether Democrats win back any significant power in Tallahassee. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026 Additionally, a small table seats two and pulls double duty for both dining and working. — New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026 The fan pulls air through the filters and pushes out cleaner air than came in. — John Alexander, Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2026 As the evening air pulls downward, scent collects and pools in the lowest points of the landscape. — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 31 Oct. 2026 AwareCA pulls evacuation updates and fire perimeter maps from official sources in near-real time and allows local fire and police departments to post updates directly. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 When Traoré’s speed pulls a defender toward the rim, a cutter can slip behind the help, or a shooter can find daylight on the perimeter. — C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 30 Oct. 2026 Frequently, though, Nazario pulls us back into the reality of our moment. — David MacK, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026

Noun

Sophomore Taylor Novak leads the defense with 135 flag pulls and nine sacks. — Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026 In the past four games, all victories, the 5-foot-2 McGinley leads the team with 18 flag pulls and has six passes defended and an interception. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 1 Nov. 2026 Just as the first drag of a cigarette hits better than the pulls that follow it, there’s a real chance that a lie down on a 2000T will never be as pleasurable as the first time. — Jaklin Romine oct. 15, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 In the video, Porizkova can be seen doing exercises such as hammer curls, cable pulls, deadlifts, pull-ups, lunges and others. — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026 The six-piece set includes black and silver pulls, giving you lots of uses across multiple bags. — Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2026 All animal pull events were canceled on Saturday and Sunday for the safety of the animals and their equipment, and all tractor and truck pulls were canceled for Saturday. — Staff Reports, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026 Ferguson Home specializes in the kinds of pulls and knobs that will have guests inquiring about the finishes rather than the furniture itself. — Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026 These tokens fell sharply in the days after their debuts and quickly drew accusations of being rug pulls, a crypto term for projects in which insiders abruptly sell large holdings, leaving other investors with steep losses. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulls

Verb

Using a thin, shimmering strand of silk, the spider hauls itself back up.

— Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026
The industry, which hauls 70% of all freight in America, has taken the biggest hit after the war with Iran sent fuel prices soaring.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of hauls

Verb

The Kamiński/Spielberg collaboration, which now stretches over 30 years and more than 20 films, has to count as one of the most significant artistic collaborations in American cinema history.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 Nov. 2026
This year’s 24-film lineup stretches well beyond Monroe’s own filmography.

— Ben Croll, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of stretches

Noun

Nothing about Capra is weirder, to be honest, than the way in which, from one film of his to the next, suicide tugs at our sleeve.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Electric tugs docked alongside an LNG carrier being loaded at the LNG Canada docks in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada, on Monday, July 14, 2025.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of tugs

Noun

Her musical influences, similarly incongruous on their face, stem from an era of digital music post-iTunes and pre-slop when casual internet explorers could cultivate a sprawling taste profile for free.

— Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
Researching the house’s roots, Foster found Spanish, Mediterranean revival, and English influences, and the couple felt free to embrace all three.

— Michelle Ruiz, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of influences

Noun

Bake until crust is dry around the edges and just beginning to brown, 25–35 minutes.

— Rick Martinez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
Removing leaves from the edges of your garden beds will give you a clean boundary between the lawn and garden beds, adding some order to the garden’s appearance.

— Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of edges

Verb

But if the war drags on and the cost of necessities like gas and groceries continues to rise, that could be a problem.

— Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026
The research agency, ORF Middle East, said that support for tourism businesses and efforts to restart events could become harder to sustain if the conflict drags on.

— Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of drags

Verb

By fields of cotton and soybeans where his bees forage and pollinate, Foster Hensel pries open the lid of one of his beehives, setting off a rising hum from inside.

— Drew Hawkins, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
Remove the 11 Philips-head screws on the bottom of the laptop, and its bottom pries up with a bit of pressure.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026