1 A2 neutral
To move a vehicle to the side of a road and stop.
"I pulled over to answer my phone because it is illegal to use it while driving."
inseparable
pull over
A2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop, or for a police officer to signal a driver to do so.
In plain English
To move your car to the side of the road and stop.
What does "pull over" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
Of a police officer: to signal or order a driver to stop at the roadside.
"The officer pulled her over for running a red light."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Transparent — to pull the vehicle over to one side.
Actually means
To move your car to the side of the road and stop.
Usage tip
Very common in everyday driving contexts. When police 'pull someone over', it is a law enforcement action. Also used reflexively: 'I pulled over to check my phone'. Universal in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "pull over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
police officer speeding car driver kerb shoulder
How to conjugate "pull over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pull over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pulls over
he/she/it
Past simple
pulled over
yesterday
Past participle
pulled over
have + pp
-ing form
pulling over
continuous
Hear "pull over" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "pull over" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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