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
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.
If needed, lightly holding your skin taut should be enough to shave the area without excessively stretching or pulling at it. Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 14 Mar. 2025 Emergency crews have pulled at least 28 bodies out of the water. Brad Dress, The Hill, 30 Jan. 2025 The precision tip of the pencil is countered by the formula’s buttery-softness, which blends and builds without pulling at the eyelid’s delicate skin. Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024 But then Lawrence layered an animal print coat overtop, transforming the look from tame to eye-popping — a classic style maneuver that Jennifer Lopez also pulled at the end of 2024. Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 9 Feb. 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 19 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!