pull-down
Americanadjective
verb
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Demolish, destroy, as in They pulled down several old office buildings downtown . [Early 1500s]
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Lower, reduce; also, depress in health or spirits. For example, The bumper wheat crop is bound to pull down prices , or The flu really pulled him down . [Late 1500s]
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Draw as wages, as in He pulled down a hefty salary . [ Colloquial ; early 1900s]
Etymology
Origin of pull-down
First recorded in 1905–10; adj. use of verb phrase pull down
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Will be interesting to see how spiking gas prices pull down the two lower legs of the E,” another user wrote.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026
Many economists are bracing for officials to pull down their expectations for the economy.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
“If they’re running up against the 22% price increase year-to-date, they may pull down their buying programs to see if they can buy a dip, or they can buy when prices stabilize.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026
McDonald’s was forced to pull down an AI-generated Christmas commercial from YouTube after some consumers said the AI-slop-filled tongue-in-cheek take on the holidays was distasteful.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025
Then they pull down a metal ramp and begin to bring out an assortment of furniture wrapped in blankets.
From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.