Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to pull along

to pull along

10 3.0
To move something by dragging it with effort
  • phrasal verb
  • /pʊl əˈlɔŋ/
: arrastrar
  • He struggled to pull along the heavy suitcase up the steep hill.
  • pull the suitcase along
  • pulled it along the ground
  • pulled along by a rope

We lay down, I pull the security along this long road and the town starts to wake up and I'm just getting these bad vibes.

Examples

  • The servant lost his patience and began to pull him along by the armpits.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • So the only vendors you're going to see now are a few like the man over there who's pulling his goods along the sand because the law requires that you have to keep moving.

  • The balls quickly come together in our wake and some close to the motor are pulled along with the boat.

  • But once again, she felt herself being pulled along by Josh's excitement.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Her sister Rachel shook her awake and pulled her along to stand with her older sisters.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • "We have to hurry, Garth," Lindsay said and pulled him along.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Gordon Washbaugh shouted at her, pulling her along as her other friends tried to follow.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • I stumbled down the stairs, her arm pulling me along the crescent-shaped wall of the theater.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Move, move, move!" When Delores hesitated, Aur grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Charlie grabs the rack and jerks it down into the street, pulling the gunman along with it.

    Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

to pull
vsto pull along
∞ 1.0

To move something toward you using force, often to remove it

focuses on overcoming resistance rather than simple directional movement
to yank
vsto pull along
172 4.1

To pull something suddenly and hard

involves more continuous effort rather than abrupt single motions
to tow
vsto pull along
124 2.0

To pull a vehicle behind another using a rope or chain

describes moving by force directly, not necessarily behind a vehicle
to tug
vsto pull along
95 1.0

To pull something hard, often in a quick way

involves steadier motion over distance rather than quick jerks
to haul
vsto pull along
79 2.5

To pull something with effort, often slowly

is about moving against resistance, not always slow or heavy
to lug
vsto pull along
48 4.4

To carry or drag something heavy with effort

emphasizes pulling against resistance rather than carrying by lifting
to cart
vsto pull along
32 2.3

To carry something, often heavy, from one place to another

is about dragging under resistance rather than using tools to carry
to schlep
vsto pull along
  • Slang
16 9.9

To carry something heavy or awkward with effort

stresses dragging under resistance rather than general burdensome transport
to shlep
vsto pull along
  • Slang
1 9.9

To carry or pull something with effort when it is heavy

highlights forceful dragging specifically rather than any hard move
to trailer
vsto pull along
1 3.8

To pull something behind a vehicle for transport

refers to direct dragging or hauling, not movement on a towed vehicle

Antonyms

to release
∞ 1.8

To let someone or something go free from being held

to push away
69 2.0

To move something away from you by pushing with your hands

How Hard

to yank
172 4.1
to haul
79 2.5
to drag
938 2.0
to pull along
10 3.0

Surface Forms

pull along infinitive
pulled along past
pulled along past participle
pulling along present participle
pulls along third person singular

Morphology

pull + along

The meaning 'to move something by dragging or hauling it' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'pull' (apply force to bring something closer) with 'along' (in a direction or following a length), following a standard English verb+particle motion pattern. This compositional pattern is cross-linguistically common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Pull along comes from the simple picture of someone using force to drag a heavy thing forward, like a person pulling a cart along a road or a suitcase along the pavement. That's why it means 'to move something by dragging or hauling it' with effort.