1
as in hauls
to cause to follow by applying steady force on
a team of horses pulling a heavy wagon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in yanks
to draw out by force or with effort
the dentist had to struggle to pull the tooth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 pulls
Chris Willman, Variety, 12 June 2026
In the end, an inexperienced minor – who has no idea who hired them – pulls the trigger.
—ABC News, 12 June 2026
Sometimes the company leads, and the brand pulls the executive into visibility.
—Dean Trevelino, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Organ-style metal vent pulls, fortunately, are one constant.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 12 June 2026
Creator Faith Ifeanyii pulls her twists into a low ponytail before feeding them into a thick, full bun at the nape of her neck.
—Sunnah Rasheed, InStyle, 11 June 2026
Think drawer pulls and knobs in a matching color to create a cohesive look.
—Jane Kim, The Spruce, 11 June 2026
The pillow is filled with shredded memory foam gel that pulls heat away from your head, neck, and shoulders to prevent overheating.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Google search pulls from the same information as Google News, even though the two sites are technically separate.
—Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 28 May 2026
Mark Hull, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Borcherding recommends making sure that the mounting hole width lines up with your existing pulls.
—Jane Kim, The Spruce, 11 June 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
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
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
Instead, the spacecraft first swings closer to the moon before entering a gravitational pathway around a special region called the L1 Lagrange point, where Earth’s and the moon’s gravitational pulls balance each other.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026
Verb
Coming to the glum realization that love isn’t outlasting infatuation is trickier to write about than a more incendiary subject like unfaithfulness, but Rodrigo pulls it off.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 June 2026
In the end, an inexperienced minor – who has no idea who hired them – pulls the trigger.
—ABC News, 12 June 2026
Sometimes the company leads, and the brand pulls the executive into visibility.
—Dean Trevelino, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Organ-style metal vent pulls, fortunately, are one constant.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 12 June 2026
Creator Faith Ifeanyii pulls her twists into a low ponytail before feeding them into a thick, full bun at the nape of her neck.
—Sunnah Rasheed, InStyle, 11 June 2026
Think drawer pulls and knobs in a matching color to create a cohesive look.
—Jane Kim, The Spruce, 11 June 2026
The pillow is filled with shredded memory foam gel that pulls heat away from your head, neck, and shoulders to prevent overheating.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Google search pulls from the same information as Google News, even though the two sites are technically separate.
—Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 28 May 2026
Noun
Metadata, logs and API pulls confirm a token was spent and a call was made.
—Mark Hull, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Borcherding recommends making sure that the mounting hole width lines up with your existing pulls.
—Jane Kim, The Spruce, 11 June 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
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
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
Instead, the spacecraft first swings closer to the moon before entering a gravitational pathway around a special region called the L1 Lagrange point, where Earth’s and the moon’s gravitational pulls balance each other.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 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
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
Verb
-
The patriarch’s younger son, Abhay, thirty-nine, and his family live on the top floor in a spacious, breezy apartment that commands a fine view of Dhakuria Lake, which stretches away into the distance, flanking Southern Avenue.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
-
Your optimistic nature thrives on movement, so choose an inspiring route and ask bigger questions while wonder stretches your thinking.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
In contrast to conventional airport tugs, the electric TaxiBot is controlled directly by the pilot from the cockpit.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
-
Its tech is being used to power the world’s first electric tugs that are about to go into service at the Port of Long Beach, under a deal worth $160 million announced in late 2025.—
Alan Ohnsman,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Our research suggests that activists seeking to protect American democracy from authoritarian influences are pursuing a failing strategy.—
Scott Warren,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
-
Later, Juan-Carlos Chaurand joined FK Menace as part of Sin Tope, blending traditional Latin influences with contemporary sounds.—
J.M. Banks
June 12,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
-
Conversations want courage as instinctive Moon in your 3rd House of Communication conjoins warrior Mars there, urging clear words with soft edges.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The rest of the film drags, the pacing falters, and the story inches toward a mediocre conclusion.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
-
Expectations of higher oil prices as the war drags on have kept long-term bond yields elevated, causing mortgage rates to mostly trend higher.—
Alex Veiga,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Pulls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulls. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
