Haul is a word with a few related meanings. It can mean to pull something along with effortcareful physical or mental energy used to do something, to transportmove goods or people from one place to another something by vehicle, or a noun for a catch or a hard pull or journeya trip from one place to another, often long.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /hɑl/
Easy pronunciation: HAWL (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable, stressed fully.
Verb sense: to pull or drag something with effort.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Haul Meaning
to pull something with effort
Part of speech: verb
Definition: draw slowly or heavily
Example: They had to haul the boat onto the shore.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- drag — A strong everyday substitute when something is pulled along with effort.
- cart — Works in some contexts, especially when moving something from one place to another, but it is less general than drag.
- hale — An older or more literary synonym, not common in modern everyday English.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Haul
Meaning 2
the amount caught, especially fish
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the quantity that was caught
Example: The fishermen came back with a big haul.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- catch — A natural synonym when haul means the amount caught.
Meaning 3
the act of pulling something with effort
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of drawing or hauling something
Example: The haul up the hill took much longer than expected.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- draw — Can fit this noun sense, though it is less direct in modern usage.
- haulage — A valid noun for the act or work of hauling, especially in more formal or technical usage.
Meaning 4
to carry or move goods by vehicle
Part of speech: verb
Definition: transport in a vehicle
Example: They haul vegetables to the market every morning.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Haul Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- drag
- cart
the quantity that was caught
- catch
the act of drawing or hauling something
- draw
- haulage
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use haul as a direct synonym for drag when the meaning is the amount caught.
- Do not confuse the noun haul meaning 'a catch' with the verb haul meaning 'to pull or transport something.'
- Cart is more limited than drag and is not always interchangeable in every context.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does haul mean?
Haul can mean to pull something with effort, to transport something by vehicle, or the amount of something caught, especially fish.
What are the main synonyms for haul?
For the main verb sense, drag is the closest everyday synonym. Cart can work in some contexts, and haulage fits the noun sense of the act of hauling.
Is haul always a verb?
No. Haul can also be a noun, as in a big haul of fish or the haul up a hill.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-04. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
