pull at
phrasal verb
pulled at; pulling at; pulls at
1
: to hold onto and pull (something) repeatedly
When she gets nervous, she pulls at her ear.
2
: to breathe in the smoke from (a cigarette, pipe, etc.)
He rocked back and forth, pulling at his pipe.
Examples of pull at in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Gomez’s story is one of resilience that pulls at the strings of the heart.
—
Colby Gordon, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Nov. 2024
Eventually, the two officers change tactics, moving around the pumpkin’s large girth and joining a civilian who – out of view from the camera – had begun pulling at the pumpkin’s loose strings.
—Emily Palmer, People.com, 16 Oct. 2024
Mason Mount did well to chase back, but could only pull at Tete, leading referee Robert Jones to play advantage rather than blow for a foul.
—Mark Critchley, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
However, the tour plans were pulled at the last minute, owing in part to uncertainty about the promoter, according to sources with knowledge of the matter — who, like others consulted for this piece, spoke on condition of anonymity due to their need to preserve relationships.
—Peter Rutzler, The Athletic, 20 July 2024
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Colby Gordon, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Nov. 2024
Eventually, the two officers change tactics, moving around the pumpkin’s large girth and joining a civilian who – out of view from the camera – had begun pulling at the pumpkin’s loose strings.
—Emily Palmer, People.com, 16 Oct. 2024
Mason Mount did well to chase back, but could only pull at Tete, leading referee Robert Jones to play advantage rather than blow for a foul.
—Mark Critchley, The Athletic, 20 Aug. 2024
However, the tour plans were pulled at the last minute, owing in part to uncertainty about the promoter, according to sources with knowledge of the matter — who, like others consulted for this piece, spoke on condition of anonymity due to their need to preserve relationships.
—Peter Rutzler, The Athletic, 20 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for pull at
Dictionary Entries Near pull at
Cite this Entry
“Pull at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pull%20at. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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