pulls 1 of 2

Definition of pullsnext
present tense third-person singular of pull
1
as in hauls
to cause to follow by applying steady force on a team of horses pulling a heavy wagon

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in stretches
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure lift the crate carefully, or you'll pull a muscle

Synonyms & Similar Words

pulls

2 of 2

noun

plural of pull
1
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

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
With his tree-bark rasp, Gabe raps hard as hell and pulls little storytelling tricks out of his bag. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 2026 This pulls you inward, asking you to confront subconscious patterns, private fears and unspoken truths. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026 Even the climate adjustments drew ire, since the dial automatically pulls back into the dash before any fan speed selection actually results in a change. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Magnesium regulates digestive muscle contractions and pulls water into the intestines. Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 29 Jan. 2026 As the vehicle pulls slowly away, Pretti kicks at the taillight and then delivers a second kick that shatters the red plastic and leaves the taillight dangling. Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026 This is not about controlling the path, but following the curiosity that pulls you forward. Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026 High-waist black leather pants and a crop top add edginess, while the trench effortlessly pulls the look together. Samantha Brash, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026 Swap cabinet pulls, drawer handles, or bathroom fixtures before committing to larger changes. Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Each sub-agent starts with fresh context rather than accumulating information in a single conversation thread, enabling larger pulls across multiple sources and longer tasks without hitting context limits. Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026 The days when there were only a few options for kitchen cabinet knobs and pulls are long gone. Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Jan. 2026 Adventure Intel One of the big pulls of Reset Hotel is its proximity to the north entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, which is generally less crowded than its southern counterpart. Kristine Thomason, Outside, 11 Jan. 2026 The whole look felt assuredly Aspen—cherrypicking from the glamorous sartorial pressure points of the ’70s and ’80s, luxuriating in high-level vintage pulls and sumptuous fabrics. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 2 Jan. 2026 Hosted by Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey, NBC’s two-hour concert special pulls from Motown’s deep catalog while welcoming newer voices into the mix. Okla Jones, Essence, 17 Dec. 2025 Online, fans are thrilled to share their luck-of-the-draw so far, and ooh and aah over the rare pulls that some Trader Joe’s buyers have scored—like the elusive Peanut Bag. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2025 It’s made with rip-resistant fabric, has lockable zipper pulls, and has an internal shockproof belt to protect devices. Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2025 All the credit checks required for these offers are soft pulls. Ryley Amond, CNBC, 16 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulls
Verb
  • After the gating email, Otto hauls Harper in for a talking-to.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Global warming could doom them Under no light but the stars, a green sea turtle hauls herself out of the surf and onto the familiar sand of Alagadi Beach on the northern coast of Cyprus.
    Elizabeth Preston, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Judy yanks Mikey’s roller trunk out of the mud and leads him toward one of the nearby hiking trails.
    Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
  • Suddenly, someone in the audience yanks her violently into the screaming mass of people.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Organizers said 27 brands are represented at the show, which has a legacy that stretches back to 1902.
    Keith Laing, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The reach of the gym on Metropolitan Parkway, about halfway between the airport and downtown Atlanta, stretches far beyond its neighborhood.
    Ryan Dennis, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • As part of its support service to the Royal Navy, Serco intends to purchase 24 vessels, including a mix of ASD tugs, reverse-stern-drive tugs, pilot boats, barges, and crane barges, for which the contract was awarded to Dutch defence manufacturer Damen.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
  • These motorcycles were so well-built that they were even employed in both World Wars, mainly as dispatch bikes and sidecar tugs for the British armed forces.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Briceno warns that loading on the lip tint can lead to product transfer, harsh edges, and a patchy finish.
    Grace McCarty, Glamour, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The scenes that work less well and seem virtually superfluous are those with Kumail Nanjiani as Adeel, an environmental activist who drags Aaron along with him to break into a fracking site that is disturbing the breeding ground of…the sage grouse.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The agent sprays Pretti with a chemical irritant and drags him to his knees as Pretti pulls at the backpack of the other bystander, potentially reaching for a water bottle.
    Thomas Bordeaux, CNN Money, 25 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Could this be the year Johannesburg pries visitors away from Cape Town with a cool new city hotel and a dynamic dining scene, or when sunseekers take another look at Mauritius instead of the Maldives?
    CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Nov. 2023
Verb
  • When CEOs treat financial advice as a substitute for judgment, leadership starts to erode, decisions slow down, and conviction weakens.
    Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Trump’s focus on the Western Hemisphere — as a show of might that weakens China’s geostrategic influence, Nikkei wrote.
    Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 26 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pulls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulls. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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