pull in
B2Neutral, with specific uses in informal and business contexts.
Definition
Meaning
to arrive at a station, stop, or destination; to move to the side of the road and stop; to attract or earn.
To achieve or obtain something desirable; to take someone to a police station for questioning or arrest; to reduce or restrain something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The meaning shifts based on the object: 'pull in' without an object often means arriving (train pulls in). With an object, it can mean attracting (pull in customers) or detaining (police pulled him in).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly used for arriving vehicles in UK English (e.g., 'The coach will pull in at 3 PM'). In US English, 'pull over' is more frequent for stopping a vehicle. 'Pull in' for earnings/attracting is equally used.
Connotations
Neutral for arrivals/earnings. Has a negative connotation when referring to police detention.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK English for transport contexts. Similar frequency for business/attraction meanings.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Vehicle/Driver] + pull in (+ to/at [Place])[Business/Person] + pull in + [Money/Customers][Police] + pull in + [Suspect]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Pull in your horns (reduce spending/ambition)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used for revenue, customers, or investments: 'The new strategy should pull in more clients.'
Academic
Rare; might appear in economics or transport studies.
Everyday
Common for vehicles arriving or stopping: 'Let's pull in at the next services.'
Technical
Used in logistics/transport for scheduled arrivals.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The lorry pulled in at the motorway services.
- The festival pulls in huge crowds every year.
- He was pulled in for speeding.
American English
- Let's pull in at the next rest area.
- The movie pulled in over $50 million.
- The suspect was pulled in for questioning.
adjective
British English
- The new shopping centre has great pull-in power for tourists.
- It's a handy pull-in bay for lorries.
American English
- The show has serious pull-in potential.
- There's a scenic pull-in just ahead.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bus will pull in soon.
- We pulled in to buy some water.
- He pulled the car in to check the map.
- The shop pulls in customers with its window displays.
- The company pulls in millions in revenue annually.
- The police pulled him in after witnessing the incident.
- Despite the recession, the consultancy continues to pull in prestigious clients.
- The minister was forced to pull in her ambitious spending plans.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a fishing line PULLing a big catch INto the boat – you've 'pulled in' a prize (arrived with it, earned it, or caught it).
Conceptual Metaphor
ATTRACTING IS PULLING; ARRIVING IS BEING PULLED TO A POINT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'тянуть внутрь'. For 'the train pulls in', use 'поезд прибывает/подъезжает'. For 'pull in money', use 'привлекать/зарабатывать деньги'. For police, use 'задержать/доставить в участок'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'pull in' for pulling an object inside a container (use 'pull into'). Confusing 'pull in' (stop) with 'pull over' (stop at side). Using 'pull in' for reducing speed (use 'slow down').
Practice
Quiz
What does 'pull in' mean in this sentence: 'The van pulled in just ahead of us.'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a phrasal verb that can be separable when it means to detain or attract. E.g., 'The police pulled the driver in.' / 'The ad pulled in new customers.' For arriving, it is not separable: 'The train pulled in.'
Both can mean to stop a vehicle at the side. 'Pull over' implies you were driving and then moved over to stop. 'Pull in' implies arriving at or moving into a specific place like a lay-by, parking spot, or station.
Yes, very commonly. It means to earn, attract, or secure something desirable: 'pull in profits', 'pull in investors', 'pull in business'.
It is neutral but slightly informal. It is acceptable in business and everyday language but might be replaced by 'generate', 'attract', or 'arrive' in very formal writing.