Phrasal verb
pull up
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
pull up
Past
pulled up
Past participle
pulled up
Definition
phrasal verb. to stop a vehicle you are driving, usually at a specific place like a house or a curb.
phrasal verb. to bring a vehicle to a halt at a specific location. Often used intransitively where the vehicle or the driver is the subject.
Examples
“The taxi pulled up outside the hotel.”
“As soon as the car pulled up at the curb, the children jumped out to greet their grandmother.”
“The black sedan pulled up silently alongside the curb, its tinted windows offering no clue as to the identity of the passenger within.”
Examples
simple
“The taxi pulled up outside the hotel.”
contextual
“As soon as the car pulled up at the curb, the children jumped out to greet their grandmother.”
complex
“The black sedan pulled up silently alongside the curb, its tinted windows offering no clue as to the identity of the passenger within.”
Usage
usually followed by a prepositional phrase like 'at the door' or 'outside the house'.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'pull over', which implies moving to the side of the road to stop for a specific reason like an emergency or police request.
Pitfall
The police signaled the driver to pull up.
The police signaled the driver to pull over.
Learners often confuse 'pull up' with 'pull over', which specifically describes moving to the side of the road to stop.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
pull + up
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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