pull on

phrasal verb

pulled on; pulling on; pulls on

1

: to hold onto and move (something) toward oneself

She pulled on the rope with all her might.

2

: to hold onto and pull (something) repeatedly

When she gets nervous, she pulls on her ear.

3

: to breathe in the smoke from (a cigarette, pipe, etc.)

He rocked back and forth, pulling on his pipe.

4

: to dress oneself in (clothing)

She quickly pulled on her boots.

He pulled a sweater on.

Examples of pull on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The kindergarteners slipped their fur parkas over their heads and pulled on their mukluks, or caribou skin boots. —Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 30 Jan. 2025

The dog learns to equate pulling on the leash with pain and stops pulling to avoid the pain — or so the theory goes. —Dawn Kovell, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025

Quirks of genetics and taste-bud architecture impact the might of sugar’s pull on any individual. —Caity Weaver, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025

Reducing the flow of Canadian oil would make the demand pull on U.S. frackers even stronger. —Christopher Helman, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025