1 B1 idiomatic neutral
To recover from a serious illness or injury.
"The surgeons were confident she would pull through, but recovery would take months."
inseparable
pull through
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To survive or recover from a serious illness, difficulty, or crisis.
In plain English
To survive something very bad, like a serious illness or a huge problem.
What does "pull through" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To survive or overcome a very difficult situation.
"The small business barely had any cash, but they pulled through the recession."
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
To help someone survive an illness or crisis.
"It was the team's support that pulled him through those dark months."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To physically pull something through a difficult space — metaphorically, to drag oneself or another through a hard period.
Actually means
To survive something very bad, like a serious illness or a huge problem.
Usage tip
Used both intransitively (she pulled through) and transitively (the doctors pulled her through). Applies to illness, financial crises, disasters, and emotional hardships. Common in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "pull through"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
illness surgery crisis recession hardship patient ordeal
How to conjugate "pull through"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pull through
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pulls through
he/she/it
Past simple
pulled through
yesterday
Past participle
pulled through
have + pp
-ing form
pulling through
continuous
Hear "pull through" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "pull through" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.