1
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
a powerful storm pulled down the old fishing shack, which had been immortalized in countless paintings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in demolishing
to destroy (as a building) completely by knocking down or breaking to pieces
an ugly billboard that was eventually pulled down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in earning
to receive as return for effort
he's pulling down six figures at that job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 pulling down
Backup center Luka Garza helped the Celtics survive the upset bid by scoring a season-high 22 points and pulling down six of his team’s 18 offensive rebounds.
—
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
Dunn scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and Kennedy Smith scored 12 points while pulling down six rebounds.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
On social media, some have been seen pulling down his statues.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026
Towering Second Baptist 6-foot-10 sophomore Kaiden Smith wreaked havoc in the middle, pulling down 18 rebounds and altering multiple shots.
—Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2026
The 5-foot-7 Burzycki was good to go Thursday night, pulling down 11 rebounds to go with five points for the Vikings in a 55-42 nonconference win over host Lincoln-Way Central in New Lenox.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
But 6-foot-8 Eric Lopez kicked up his game, pulling down 14 rebounds and blocking nine shots.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The person, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation, said they were punched in the face after pulling down an officer’s mask who was dragging them out of the vehicle.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Many airlines are pulling down their operations at Newark, Bastian said, which reduces some of the congestion at the airport.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
Dunn scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and Kennedy Smith scored 12 points while pulling down six rebounds.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
On social media, some have been seen pulling down his statues.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026
Towering Second Baptist 6-foot-10 sophomore Kaiden Smith wreaked havoc in the middle, pulling down 18 rebounds and altering multiple shots.
—Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2026
The 5-foot-7 Burzycki was good to go Thursday night, pulling down 11 rebounds to go with five points for the Vikings in a 55-42 nonconference win over host Lincoln-Way Central in New Lenox.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
But 6-foot-8 Eric Lopez kicked up his game, pulling down 14 rebounds and blocking nine shots.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The person, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation, said they were punched in the face after pulling down an officer’s mask who was dragging them out of the vehicle.
—Natasha Korecki, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
Many airlines are pulling down their operations at Newark, Bastian said, which reduces some of the congestion at the airport.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pulling down
Verb
-
Will Trump adopt Putin-style tactics by destroying power plants or even desalination plants in what could amount to an attack on the beleaguered Iranian people themselves?—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In the weeks since, fears of a long-term occupation of southern Lebanon have grown, with Israel moving to establish a buffer zone in the area, leveling homes and destroying bridges over the Litani River, which connects the south to the rest of Lebanon, while taking control of what crossings remain.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Plans call for demolishing the three-story former office building on the site and constructing a single-story, 30-foot-tall building containing approximately 26,000 square feet of event space, according to information shared by the village.—
Jennifer Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The city’s long-term plan calls for demolishing the existing facility and replacing it with a new permanent building.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Households earning over $100,000 annually now account for roughly 75 percent of Walmart’s recent market share gains.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Those two will set the tone for Orlando and remain crucial to earning three points at home.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Accused of ruining baseball with their big-spending ways the past two years, the noise has only gotten louder as a labor showdown looms.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
-
To figure out its mechanism, Julius’s team had to somehow extract it from cells without ruining the very properties the researchers were trying to understand.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Workers were tearing down the court at the near-empty United Center late Sunday afternoon after Michigan’s win over Tennessee when a roar erupted from the nearby media workroom.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The decades-long struggle to make Victory a viable neighborhood should give pause to proponents of tearing down City Hall to build an arena and entertainment district.—
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Keller stymies defending champ Coppell Claire Garritson scored the game-winning goal in the second half and Keller hung on to beat defending state champion Coppell 2-1 in the Class 6A Division 1 Region 1 Final on Tuesday night at Keller High School.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Grammy-winning musician made her Broadway debut as Zidler in the classic musical on March 24.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Martha had a confidence-shattering experience with her previous boyfriend.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Atlanta Police Department During the incident, a stray bullet struck an Atlanta Public Schools bus, shattering one of its windows.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Developing these frameworks is crucial to reaping value from AI in the long term.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Control of the island would cut off the oil revenue Iran has been reaping, as its tankers would no longer be able to use the Strait of Hormuz.—
Jamie McIntyre,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pulling down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pulling%20down. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
