pʊl ɒf
informal
intermediate
- Base verb:
- pull
- Particle:
- off
- Separable:
- Yes
What does "pull off" mean?
- To succeed in doing something difficult
- To remove something by pulling
Examples
- She managed to pull off a surprise party for him.
- Pull off your muddy boots before coming in.
- I can't believe they pulled off such a difficult project.
- The driver pulled off the highway.
- Do you think we can pull this off?
How to use it
'Pull it off' is very common for achieving something against odds. Informal and positive.
Word order
For achieving: separable ('pull the deal off'). For removing: separable ('pull your hat off').
Similar expressions
accomplish
achieve
remove
succeed
Opposites
fail
put on
Related phrasal verbs
- pull out
To remove something from inside
- pull up
To stop a vehicle
- pull over
To drive a vehicle to the side of the road and stop
- pull through
To survive a serious illness or difficult situation
- pull together
To work as a team; to cooperate
- pull apart
To separate something into pieces
Use it in a practice answer
Try "pull off" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.