pull strings

About 0.04 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To manipulate a situation, especially by asking favours of others; to use one's influence with others to attain a desired goal.

   He has the job not because of talent, but because his dad pulled strings with the boss.

2. verb To control a person, organization, or situation by operating behind the scenes, as a puppeteer controls a marionette.

   We know who pulls the strings around here.

Similar words

pull a few strings fiddle with pull the wires play pull play both sides against the middle play someone like a violin twist someone's arm wirepull wangle

Word family

pull wires pulled strings pulled wires pulling strings pulling wires pulls strings pulls wires