pull-up

1 of 2

noun

plural pull-ups
: an exercise in which one hangs by the hands from a support (such as a horizontal bar) and pulls oneself up until the chin is level with the support
specifically : such an exercise done with the palms facing outward compare chin-up

pull up

2 of 2

verb

pulled up; pulling up; pulls up

transitive verb

1
: to bring to a stop : halt
2

intransitive verb

1
a
: to check oneself
b
: to come to an often abrupt halt : stop
2
: to draw even with others in a race

Examples of pull-up in a Sentence

Verb the jockey tried to pull up the apparently injured horse
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Start with the basics: squats, pull-ups, push-ups, and rows. Ashley Mateo, Health, 6 May 2024 On Denver’s next possession, Murray missed a pull-up jumper. Ryan McFadden, The Denver Post, 4 May 2024 On April 19, Beckham, 50, posted a video on Instagram Stories of her doing a pull-up ab workout with her and David’s personal trainer, Bobby Rich. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024 There were smooth pull-up jumpers, driving layups, floaters, pull-up threes in transition and assists out of pick-and-rolls. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2024 In the clip, a shirtless Beckham did a set of pull-ups while wearing minimal clothing. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2024 Push-ups, pull-ups and getting a massage (couldn't lay on my stomach). Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 25 Mar. 2024 Catch-and-shoots from the corner, one-handed push shots, 1-on-1 combinations against light defense from the top of the key, one-dribble pull-ups and stepbacks. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024 An overhand grip, in which your palms are facing away from you, is a pull-up. Jacqueline Andriakos, Health, 13 Mar. 2024
Verb
In early May, as light from the rising desert sun seemed to set fire to the towering cliffs of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area just west of Las Vegas, Honnold pulled up in his electric truck ready to sprint up another sheer rock face. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024 In 2008, Los Ángeles taxi driver Bonifacio Jaimes pulled up stakes and moved to Fresno so his oldest daughter could enroll in the Doctor’s Academy at Sunnyside High School and take the first step of fulfilling her dream of going into health care. Juan Esparza Loera, Sacramento Bee, 21 May 2024 Cementing a magical night: two students pulled up in a Tesla Cybertruck with a police escort. C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 20 May 2024 The car pulled up to the back of a drab white house where Ms. Dillon lived, and where her boyfriend was waiting. Photographs Todd Heisler, New York Times, 19 May 2024 Investigators with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office showed up to investigate but had hardly begun processing the scene when a car pulled up containing two women, one of whom admitted to killing Barca, authorities said. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 15 May 2024 In Los Angeles in 1968, 8-year-old Tali Shapiro was walking to school when a car pulled up alongside her. Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 14 May 2024 Toward the end of the presentation to the women, detectives pulled up an old photo of Williams on a cellphone and placed it below a series of composite drawings from 1975 and 1976 based on Kathie, Kandice and Sheri’s descriptions of their attacker. Marisa Kwiatkowski, USA TODAY, 14 May 2024 Other motorists said that when Hawkins sped away, the Ford Explorer pulled up to the driver’s side window and someone inside started shooting at him, according to court documents obtained by local station WRTV. Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 8 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pull-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1901, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1623, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pull-up was in 1623

Dictionary Entries Near pull-up

Cite this Entry

“Pull-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pull-up. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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