pull strings

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: pulls strings, pulled strings

Antonyms: pulls strings, pulled strings

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Verb

1. {{lb|en|intransitive|idiomatic}} To [[manipulate]] a situation, especially by asking [[favours]] of others; to use one's [[influence]] with others to attain a desired [[goal]].
2. {{lb|en|intransitive|idiomatic|often with ''“the”'' or a possessive adjective (such as ''“his”'') before ''“strings”''|[[pull one's strings]]}} To [[control]] a [[person]], [[organization]], or [[situation]] by operating [[behind the scenes]], as a [[puppeteer]] controls a [[marionette]].

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.