Meaning & use
pull over
Last updated
Meanings
verbintransitive
To drive a vehicle to the side of the road and stop.
Grammar: No object; the subject is the driver or the vehicle.
Patterns
- pull over
- pull over to the side
The driver pulled over to check the map.
We pulled over when we heard the siren.
She pulled over and turned off the engine.
verbtransitive
To make a driver stop their vehicle at the side of the road, especially a police officer.
Grammar: Takes an object: the police pull someone over.
Patterns
- pull someone over
- get pulled over
The police officer pulled him over for speeding.
I got pulled over on my way home last night.
They were pulled over for a routine check.
Common combinations
- pull over to the side of the road
- He pulled over to the side of the road to let the ambulance pass.
- get pulled over by the police
- She got pulled over by the police for a broken taillight.
- pull over for a break
- We pulled over for a break after two hours of driving.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stop
- More general; it does not necessarily mean moving to the side of the road.
- pull in
- Means to drive into a place and stop, often off the main road; 'pull over' is specifically to the side.
Opposites
Practice
The police officer signaled the driver to ______.
Choose one answer.
'Pull over' is the standard phrase for a driver stopping at the side of the road when told by police. 'Pull away' means to start moving, the opposite action.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pull over”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.