pull out

present singular third person pulls out · participle present pulling out · participle past pulled out · past pulled out

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see pull, out.

   I need to pull the splinter out of my hand.

2. alsofigurativelyintransitiveTo withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat.

   The troops pulled out of the conflict.

   4 more examples

   The mayor pulled out of the race for Senate after numerous opinion polls had him polling at less than 10 percent.

   The racehorse pulled out of the Stakes with a hurt foot.

   Pulling out of Paris would cause serious diplomatic damage.

   2017 May 31, Todd Stern, “Leaving the Paris Agreement Would Be Indefensible”, in The Atlantic

   There is still time to find a buyer and for them to stabilise the operation, especially if the deal were done by 31 May – when the club’s special licence to carry on is due to expire. There remain plenty of interested parties, who can only see Chelsea’s price dropping as sponsors pull out or consider their associations; as revenue streams are hit.

   2022 March 11, David Hytner, “Chelsea are in crisis but there is no will to leave club on their knees”, in The Guardian

3. intransitiveaeronauticsTo transition from a dive to level or climbing flight.

   After releasing its bomb, the plane pulled out of its dive.

4. intransitiveliterallyTo use coitus interruptus as a method of birth control.

   Shortly before you ejaculate, you can pull out and use your hand (or hers) to push yourself over the edge. Some of my patients claim this is a more natural method of birth control[…]

   2006, David J. Clayton, The Healthy Guide to Unhealthy Living: How to Survive Your Bad Habits, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 110

   1 more example

   She'd long since caught the knack of moving with him, and closed her arms and legs around him. “You'll fly with me, Tiberius? Take the last fence with me?” He'd meant to pull out. Coitus interruptus was a term even the scholars failing their Latin knew before they left public school.

   2013, Grace Burrowes, Once Upon a Tartan, Sourcebooks, →ISBN, page 287

5. idiomatictransitiveTo remove something from a container.

   He pulled his gun out before she had a chance to scream.

   Synonyms: whip out, draw

6. idiomaticintransitiveTo maneuver a vehicle from the side of a road onto the lane.

   When joining a road, you should check for traffic before pulling out.

7. transitiveTo draw out or lengthen.
8. transitiveTo draw out by dragging or tugging.

   Fraser was accused of pulling out the teeth of his victims with pliers.

   2014 November 26, Duncan Campbell, “‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser: original hardman who loved to cause panic”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Nov 2014

   2 more examples

   The robbers ransacked the place, pulling out drawers and opening closets.

   1934 February 17, “Gunmen Loot Bori's Suite of $2,000 Gems, Bind 3 Hotel Employes; Opera Singer Away”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 21 Nov 2025

   Wearing a green beret and a long, dark coat, the Santa Ana man pulled out a sword with a 3-foot blade and calmly attacked in silence, almost beheading one of his victims.

   2003 June 30, Jack Leonard, Jennifer Mena, Dave McKibben, “Man With Sword Kills 2 at Grocery”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 02 Nov 2020

9. idiomatictransitiveTo succeed despite long odds.

   Nobody thought they'd win, but the football team pulled out a victory.

   1 more example

   They were behind by 29 points in the third quarter, but they pulled it out at the buzzer.