pull through — overcome adversity
phrasal verbC1IELTS 7+neutraloccasional
to succeed in surviving or achieving something despite facing major obstacles, setbacks, or adversity, especially in a figurative or abstract context beyond illness.
Say it like a native
Textbook Despite the setbacks, the firm managed to survive the crisis.
Native Somehow the company pulled through.
'Pull through' compactly means come out the other side of hardship; the formal version is flat.
Pattern: pull through (something)
In use
- Despite the economic downturn, the company managed to pull through and emerge stronger than before.success
- Many experts argue that communities with strong social ties are more likely to pull through in times of crisis, such as natural disasters or economic hardship.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ We'll pull it through.
✓ We'll pull through.
'Pull through' stands alone — you don't 'pull something through' in this sense.
Common collocations
pull through + adversity— somehow, in the end, together, despite it
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B2 sense, which focuses on recovering from illness or a personal crisis, this sense is broader and more figurative, often used for groups or organizations overcoming major setbacks, or for abstract challenges.
Related
- pull through (recover from a serious illness or difficult situation) — 'pull through' also has the more basic meaning 'recover from a serious illness or difficult situation'; this is the advanced sense.