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
But Trump’s presence amid several competitive House primaries could also pull at some loose threads among lawmakers, especially as some members have gotten involved with their colleagues’ primaries, particularly Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-VA).
—
Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 June 2024
As Akiro Sato, the enforcer turned leader of the Chihara-Kai gang, Kasamatsu is the gravitational pull at the center of Tokyo Vice, connecting the yakuza underworld with the journalists covering them, the cops chasing them, and the nightclubs benefiting from their patronage.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2024
Stefano Santucci But another place that she’s loved her whole life, pulled at her.
—Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Feb. 2024
And although an anxious Congress may push him to withdraw, the fear of seeming weak on national security will probably pull at least as firmly in the other direction.
—Michael O'Hanlon, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2010
See all Example Sentences for pull at 
Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 June 2024
As Akiro Sato, the enforcer turned leader of the Chihara-Kai gang, Kasamatsu is the gravitational pull at the center of Tokyo Vice, connecting the yakuza underworld with the journalists covering them, the cops chasing them, and the nightclubs benefiting from their patronage.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2024
Stefano Santucci But another place that she’s loved her whole life, pulled at her.
—Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Feb. 2024
And although an anxious Congress may push him to withdraw, the fear of seeming weak on national security will probably pull at least as firmly in the other direction.
—Michael O'Hanlon, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2010
See all Example Sentences for pull at
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pull at.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Pull at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pull%20at. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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