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Glite Dictionary
to pull ahead

to pull ahead

9 3.4
To move into a leading position in a race or competition
  • phrasal verb
  • /pʊl əˈhɛd/
translation icon : adelantarse
  • The Starlings were in first place, but the Buccaneers would pull ahead if they won this game.
  • pull ahead of the pack
  • pulled ahead in the race
  • pulled ahead, gathering speed

And BYD is now pulling ahead in charging, too.

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Examples

  • The race was tight for more than a week after the election, but Barber steadily began pulling ahead.

    Blog text (11)

  • Meath pulled ahead by a point in the last two minutes of the match.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Wait till my signal, then pull ahead.

    The Grey Fox (1982)

  • As the French score, slowly starting to pull ahead.

    Spirit of the Game (2016)

  • Sir, Dave is pulling ahead.

    Penguins of Madagascar (2014)

  • I will be one of the three they choose, pulling ahead of the other girls like a horse at the wire.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Although both guys accurately answered the first few questions, Ian pulled ahead and owned the competition.

    Blog text (32)

  • Untouchable now as he pulls ahead.

    Dream Horse (2021)

  • Dream Alliance pulls ahead of Fearless Pursuit.

    Dream Horse (2021)

  • In the final lap, the runner managed to pull ahead of his competitors to secure first place.

Synonyms

to get ahead
vsto pull ahead
83 3.4

Do better than others, for example at work or school

focuses on becoming the leader or taking an advantageous place in contests
to gain ground
vsto pull ahead
16 4.0

To make progress and become more successful than others

describes moving into a competitive lead more than gradual improvement
to get the jump
vsto pull ahead
  • Informal
9 6.8

To act before others to get an advantage

refers to moving into a superior competitive position rather than acting first
to outrace
vsto pull ahead
1 5.9

To get ahead of others in progress or achievement

is mainly about taking the lead in a race or contest situation
to draw away
vsto pull ahead
1 4.6

To move ahead of others in a race or competition

is about moving into a leading or advantageous position in contests
to leapfrog ahead
vsto pull ahead
7.1

To suddenly move ahead of competitors by making a big improvement

is a general move into a winning or advantageous position
to thrust ahead
vsto pull ahead
5.7

To push forward through a crowd to get ahead

describes gaining a lead by position change rather than by forceful pushing

Antonyms

to go down
317 3.7

To lose a competition or fight

to fall behind
2 3.5

To move back when others move forward

How Far

to outrun
65 3.0
to pull ahead
9 3.4
to overtake
45 3.3

Surface Forms

pull ahead infinitive

Morphology

pull + ahead

The meaning 'to move into a leading position' is partly derivable from the constituents: 'ahead' denotes a leading position and 'pull' conveys causing movement, so a learner can infer a sense of being drawn in front. However, the use is somewhat metaphorical (moving ahead in a race/competition rather than literal pulling) and requires knowledge of this phrasal pattern, so it is not fully transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Pull ahead comes from the simple picture of using pull to move forward so you are ahead of others, like a runner or car moving past rivals. So it means 'to move into a leading position' in a race, vote count, or competition.