pull

PUUL/pʊl/UKPUHL/pəl/

Verbpulls, pulling, pulled

Noun pluralpulls

48 meanings of pull

Practice

1
move by forceverbtransitive or intransitive
To draw someone or something toward you or in another direction, including picking plants or vegetables this way.
Like dragging a heavy bag across the floor toward you.
She pulled the door open with both hands.
Pull harder if the rope feels stuck.
UsageSay pull on a rope or pull a door open.
Similardraw, drag, haul, tug, tow
Oppositepush, shove
Note
2
withdrawverbtransitive
To take something away so people can no longer get it.
The store pulled the toy after safety complaints.
They had to pull the ad from television.
UsageSay a shop pulled a toy from sale.
Similarwithdraw, remove, cancel, recall, scrap
Oppositerelease, launch
3
verbtransitive or intransitive
To move a vehicle in a certain direction or to a certain spot.
Pull the car up to the gate.
We watched the train pull slowly out of the station.
UsageSay a car pulls into or pulls out of a place.
Similardrive, steer, move, draw
4
do something sneakyverbcolloquialtransitive
To do something, often a trick or something bad, or to act the way a well-known person once did.
He pulled a nasty trick on his little brother.
Don't pull that stunt again or you'll get hurt.
UsageSay pull a prank or pull a trick.
Note
5
get (stored data)verbtransitive
To get something from where it is kept so you can use it.
Like getting a book off the shelf when you need it.
The clerk pulled my file from the cabinet.
Can you pull last year's sales numbers for the meeting?
UsageSay pull a file or pull data from a computer.
Similarretrieve, fetch, extract, access
6
nouncountable
A single act of taking hold of something and moving it toward you.
Like the tug you give a wagon to bring it closer.
She gave the rope a sharp pull.
One firm pull opened the drawer.
UsageSay give it a pull.
Similartug, yank, jerk, heave, haul
Oppositepush, shove
7
rip apartverbtransitive
To tear or rip something into pieces by force.
Like ripping a sheet of paper in two.
The dog pulled the toy apart in minutes.
The kids like to pull old cardboard boxes to pieces in the yard.
UsageSay pull something apart.
Similartear, rip
Note
8
bring crowdsverbtransitive
To attract or bring in people, like customers or a crowd.
Like a magnet drawing metal toward it.
A good sale can pull lots of new shoppers.
The free concert pulled a huge crowd to the park.
UsageSay a show pulls in big crowds.
Similarattract, draw, lure
Oppositerepel
9
traffic stopverbtransitive
To stop a driver and make them wait at the side of the road.
The officer pulled the speeding car over near the bridge.
Police can pull any driver who runs a red light.
UsageSay the police pulled him over.
Similarstop, halt, detain
Note
10
knobnouncountable
A handle, knob, or rope that you grab to pull something.
Like the cord on a window blind that you tug to raise it.
She grabbed the pull and opened the heavy drawer.
The old bell had a long rope pull by the door.
UsageSay drawer pull or zipper pull.
Similarhandle, knob, cord, lever
11
noununcountable
A force that pulls things toward where it comes from.
Like the way a magnet draws a paperclip toward it.
The moon's pull causes the ocean tides.
You can feel the magnet's pull on the metal clip.
UsageSay the pull of the moon.
Similarattraction, force, draw
Oppositerepulsion
Note

Less common meanings

12
hurt a muscleverbtransitive
To hurt a muscle by stretching it too far.
Like stretching a rubber band so far that it gets damaged.
He pulled a muscle while lifting the boxes.
Stretch first so you don't pull a hamstring.
UsageSay pull a muscle.
Similarstrain, sprain, wrench
13
nouncolloquialfigurativelyuncountable
The power to change what someone does or decides.
Like being important enough that people do what you ask.
She has a lot of pull with the city council.
His family name gave him real pull in town.
UsageSay someone has pull with the boss.
Similarclout, influence, sway, leverage, power
14
nounfigurativelyuncountable
The power something has to attract people.
Like the way a tasty smell draws you toward the kitchen.
The new café has a strong pull for students.
Big cities have a certain pull for young artists.
UsageSay the pull of a big city.
Similarappeal, attraction, draw, allure, lure
15
nouncountable
A muscle injury that happens when you stretch or strain it too hard.
Like a rubber band that hurts when you stretch it too far.
He has a groin pull, so he will miss Sunday's game.
A muscle pull in her back made it painful to bend over.
UsageSay a muscle pull.
Similarstrain, sprain
16
code updateverbtransitive
To copy the latest code or files from a shared online project onto your own computer.
Like downloading the newest version of a shared school project folder.
I pull the new code before I start work each day.
She pulled her teammate's changes from GitHub and tested them.
Oppositepush
Note
17
verbintransitive
To take a quick drink, often straight from a bottle.
Between songs, the singer would pull at a bottle of water.
He pulled at his canteen of water and wiped his mouth.
UsageSay pull on a bottle.
Similarswig, sip, drink
18
a swignouncolloquialcountable
A mouthful or swig of a drink, often an alcoholic one.
He took a long pull from his beer before answering.
She took a quick pull from her water bottle and kept running.
UsageSay take a pull from a bottle.
Similarswig, gulp, slug, mouthful, draft
Note
19
verbslangUKIrelandtransitive or intransitive
To get someone you have just met to kiss you, date you, or go home with you.
He thought he could pull her before the night ended.
He pulled a woman at the bar, and she stayed the night.
UsageSay he pulled at the club.
Note
20
pour beerverbUKtransitive
To pour beer from a tap, pump, or keg.
Like filling a glass from a water dispenser.
The barman pulled a pint of beer for the customer.
At closing time, the landlord likes to pull himself a pint.
UsageSay pull a pint.
Similardraw, pour
Note
21
a cricket strokeverbtransitive
In cricket, to hit a short ball to the leg side. In golf, to hit it straight but left of the target.
Like swatting a ball off to one side with a bat.
He pulled the short ball away to the left.
Good batsmen pull short balls for runs.
Note
22
golf mishitnouncountable or uncountable
A badly hit golf shot that flies straight but goes left of the target for a right-handed player.
His first shot was a pull that landed in the trees.
His golf teacher changed his grip to cure the pull that kept sending the ball left.
Oppositepush
Note
23
a cricket strokenouncountable or uncountable
A cricket shot that swings the bat across the body to hit a short ball to the leg side.
Like swinging a bat sideways to send the ball the other way.
His pull sent the ball racing to the edge of the field.
She hit a clean pull for four runs.
Note
24
hold backverbtransitive
To hold back the force of a punch or kick so you don't hurt your training partner.
Like tapping a nail gently instead of hammering it hard.
She pulled her kick so she wouldn't hurt him.
Good fighters pull their punches during practice.
UsageSay pull a punch. Pull no punches means be very direct.
Similarcheck, soften
Note
25
stretch candyverbtransitive or intransitive
To stretch candy again and again until it becomes soft and chewy.
Like stretching and folding dough over and over.
He pulled the warm taffy over and over.
Workers pull until the candy turns light and soft.
Similarstretch
Note
26
get a permitverbtransitive
To get a permit from the government office that controls building work.
We need to pull a permit before we build the new deck.
The builder pulled all the permits last week.
UsageSay a builder pulls a permit.
Similarobtain, get
Note
27
shooter's callinterjection
Shouted by a shooter to ask for a target to be thrown into the air.
She raised her shotgun, called "Pull!", and hit the clay.
"Pull!" Grandpa yelled, and the orange disk flew out over the field.
Note
28
draw a weaponverbtransitive
To take out a gun, knife, or other weapon to use it or to scare someone, often used with "on."
The robber pulled a knife on the store clerk.
In the movie, the sheriff never has to pull his gun.
UsageUse on before the person: pull a knife on someone.
Similardraw
Oppositeholster
29
puffverbintransitive
To breathe in smoke from a cigarette, pipe, or something like it, usually used with "on" or "at."
My grandpa sat on the porch and pulled on his pipe.
She would pull hard on her cigarette whenever she got nervous.
Similarpuff, draw, drag
30
baseball hitverbtransitivebaseball
In baseball, to hit the ball to the same side the batter stands on, like left field for a right-handed batter.
Right-handed batters often pull the ball toward left field.
He pulled a fastball past the third baseman.
Note
31
rowverbintransitive
To make a boat move through the water by using oars.
Pull hard for the shore, everyone, or we will never get back before dark!
Grandpa took the oars and pulled slowly toward the island.
Similarrow
Note
32
noun
A way of getting data where your device asks the server for it.
33
noun
One try at a game's lucky draw that gives a player a random prize.
34
verb
To get an enemy in a video game to chase or fight you.
35
verb
In ultimate frisbee, to make the long throw that starts play.
36
verb
To carry people or goods somewhere in a rowing boat.
37
verb
To get a certain time, distance or score on an indoor rowing machine.
38
verbUK
To score a given total in a game or sport.
39
verbdated
To print a copy, often a test copy, on a press.
40
verbUS
To leave a station or rail yard, said of a train or a single rail car.
41
verb
To hold back a horse on purpose so it loses a race.
42
noun
Something picked at random from a group, such as a card from a pack.
43
noun
A great or funny post that an app suggests to you.
44
noundated
Something that gives you a better chance than others.
45
noun
A trip in a rowboat.
46
noundated
A hard effort, or a competition.
this wrastling pull betweene Corineus and Gogmagog, is reported to have befallen at Douer.
1609, Richard Carew, The Survey of Cornwall
47
nounobsolete
Hard luck or harm that someone suffers.
Two pulls at once; / His lady banished, and a limb lopped off.
1591, William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt,”
48
noun
One copy made on an old hand printing press.

More uses

pull a faceto make a strange or unhappy expression with your face

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of pull apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

The verb comes from Old English "pullian," meaning to pull or tug. Its deeper origin is not known.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

The verb derives from Old English pullian, meaning to pull or tug. en.wiktionary.org
Its deeper origin is unknown. en.wiktionary.org