EN

Synonyms for pull

  • verb
  • noun

Most common

yank drag tug tow get get hold of take out pluck

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Yank — to apply a force to (an object) so that it comes toward the person or thing applying the force

yank, drag, tug, tow, lug, haul, jerk, heave, hale

2. Get hold of — to retrieve or look up for use

get, get hold of, retrieve, generate, obtain

3. Rip out

take out, rip out, draw out, tear out, extract

4. Pluck

pluck, tear, deplume rare, deplumate rare, displume rare

Other

draw, attract, take, rip, withdraw, remove, draw in, do, rend, perform, side with, commit

Noun

1. Handle — any device meant to be pulled, as a lever, knob, handle, or rope

handle, lever, rope, knob

2. Power — the power to influence someone or something; sway, clout

power, sway, influence

3. Wrench

wrench, twist

Other

pull-up, pull-out, clout, get-out, puff, take-off, carry-out, attraction, toke, take-away

Antonyms

shove, eject, thrust

All antonyms of pull →

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To apply a force to (an object) so that it comes toward the person or thing applying the force.

    When I give the signal, pull the rope.

  2. v. 2

    To retrieve or look up for use.

    I'll have to pull a part number for that.

  3. n. 1

    The power to influence someone or something; sway, clout.

    I don't have a lot of pull within the company.

  4. n. 2

    Any device meant to be pulled, as a lever, knob, handle, or rope.

Related words

Word family
puller pulling pull-off pull-on pull-down pullout
Phrases
pull-up pull in pull-out pull-down pull-off pull-back pull through pull someone's leg
Is a kind of
move transport

Forms

Plural
pulls → handles, levers, ropes, knobs…
Past participle
pulled
e.g. pulled → yanked, dragged, tugged, towed…

Choose the right word

Pull, Drawing or Pulls?

To pull is to exert a drawing force, whether adequate or inadequate; as, the fish pulls on the line; a dentist pulls a tooth.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

  • drag The Fates lead the willing, and drag the unwilling.
  • tow Tom broke into the tow yard to steal his car back.
  • tug How do you train a dog not to tug on its leash?
  • yank He tried to yank the splinter out with his teeth.
  • retrieve Igor went to retrieve his stuff from the campsite.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
pullrising
dragrising
towsteady
tugrising
yankrising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

2 letters
do1
3 letters
get1, rip1, tow1, tug1, lug1
4 letters
take1, draw1, drag1, tear1, rope1, jerk1, haul1, hale1, sway1, knob1, puff1, yank1, toke, rend
5 letters
power2, twist1, lever2, clout1, pluck1, heave1
6 letters
handle2, remove2, obtain2, commit2, wrench1
7 letters
perform2, attract2, extract2, deplume
8 letters
generate3, withdraw2, retrieve2, displume
9 letters
influence3, deplumate
10 letters
attraction3

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (power2 = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français
tirer
Italiano
tirare
Español
tirar
Deutsch
ziehen
Català
tirar