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
While Alex knows that Kidder’s arrest and subsequent death are bad news — there is no way her father will accept this as the end of it all, given the suspicious circumstances surrounding Kidder’s death — Dreyer seems confident that George will cease to pull at the thread.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Struggling to hold their instruments high enough to avoid the deluge, the men finally submit, slipping under the waves, with Reynolds continuing to sing, fully submerged while the women pull at his sleeves.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2025
Widespread temperatures in the single digits are predicted for early Thursday in many areas.
– Doyle Rice
Tennessee residents, dogs take in the flurry of snow
In Nashville, dogs Dixie and Toby were excitedly pulling at their leashes Wednesday morning, trying to run across fresh piles of snow.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2025
For medium-rare steaks (115°-130°F): Bake at 250°F for 30 to 35 minutes; pull at 115°F.
—Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pull at
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Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Struggling to hold their instruments high enough to avoid the deluge, the men finally submit, slipping under the waves, with Reynolds continuing to sing, fully submerged while the women pull at his sleeves.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2025
Widespread temperatures in the single digits are predicted for early Thursday in many areas.
– Doyle Rice
Tennessee residents, dogs take in the flurry of snow
In Nashville, dogs Dixie and Toby were excitedly pulling at their leashes Wednesday morning, trying to run across fresh piles of snow.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2025
For medium-rare steaks (115°-130°F): Bake at 250°F for 30 to 35 minutes; pull at 115°F.
—Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pull at
Cite this Entry
“Pull at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pull%20at. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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