pull 1 of 2

verb

ˈpu̇l How to pronounce pull (audio)
Definition of pullnext
1
as in to haul
to cause to follow by applying steady force on a team of horses pulling a heavy wagon

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2
as in to pry
to draw out by force or with effort the dentist had to struggle to pull the tooth

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

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pull

2 of 2

noun

1
as in tug
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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2
as in influence
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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3
as in advantage
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 pull
Verb
The Angels pulled to 4-1 in the bottom half when Zach Neto singled, stole second and scored on Meckler’s two-out single. — Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 The lube is initially loaded into the device by pulling the Green Disc+'s two wheel discs apart from one another, then just squirting the liquid onto the lubricator wheel. — New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
In 2020, Fort Worth restriped Hemphill Street from Hammond Street to Vickery Boulevard, narrowing it from five lanes to three, and adding bike lanes, bus pull-outs and street parking. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026 Despite the cost, part of Edinburgh TV Festival’s pull has always been its overlap with the fringe, enabling commissioners and producers to check out what’s going on on the ground as well as taking meetings. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pull
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pull
  1. haul
  2. yank
  3. stretch
  4. tug
  5. influence
  6. advantage
  7. drag
  8. extract
Verb
  • More than 200 walruses were hauled out on the beach, grunting and groaning, wriggling and jostling for position.
    — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Beckham lunged and tried to haul it in, but the ball bobbled incomplete.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of haul
Verb
  • The trooper grabs the man by his wrist and his dreadlocks and began yanking his upper body through the window, the video shows.
    — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2026
  • As the man was unconscious, Slawson was accused of yanking the suspect out of the police vehicle, causing the man to hit and split his head on the concrete, the press release stated.
    — Christian Cervantes, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of yank
Verb
  • The move may mark more than another bout of bond-market volatility, with consequences stretching across economies and financial markets.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Its low-profile frame looks clean and modern, while deep seats give you plenty of room to read, watch, or stretch out.
    — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of stretch
Noun
  • To keep your dog safe, only tug from side to side as lifting the rope toy can damage your dog’s spine.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • If your toddler stubbornly digs their heels in, don’t allow yourself to be drawn into a potty training tug of war.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of tug
Noun
  • Still, oil's influence extends far beyond the professional traders and companies that dominate its market.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • When the internet is rife with influence and inspiration, who gets credit when someone is compelled to buy something online?
    — Tom Matsuda, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of influence
Noun
  • The Democrats are in their own civil war, which are giving Republicans an opportunity that historically gives them advantage in this election a problem.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Christian Cage took advantage with a low blow on Matt from behind.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of advantage
Verb
  • The playbook that drove the first $100 million starts to drag.
    — Doug May, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This occurs with minimal working capital drag, since fulfillment runs through pre-established pharmacy networks rather than capital-intensive durable equipment logistics.
    — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • Huge investments are needed to extract the rich resources in Venezuela, whose oil output remains at a fraction of its capacity due to decades of mismanagement, lack of investment and sanctions.
    — Anniek Bao,Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Hyosung’s Bio-BDO is manufactured by fermenting sugars extracted from sugarcane.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of extract

Phrases Containing pull

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puling
pull
pull a face
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Cite this Entry

“Pull.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pull. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pull

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pull

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