push-pull

American  

[poosh-pool] / ˈpʊʃˈpʊl /

noun

1. Radio. a two-tube symmetrical arrangement in which the grid excitation voltages are opposite in phase.

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adjective

1. of or relating to electronic devices having components with balanced signals opposite in phase.

push-pull British  

noun

1. using two similar electronic devices, such as matched valves, made to operate 180° out of phase with each other. The outputs are combined to produce a signal that replicates the input waveform

   a push-pull amplifier

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Etymology

Origin of push-pull

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Perhaps the push-pull of the audience’s sympathy with and revulsion at Travis comes from the project’s profoundly personal origins for screenwriter Paul Schrader.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

The dissonance between the two keeps “Die My Love” unpredictable, but the film lives so long in that liminal state that its push-pull ultimately becomes one-note.

From Salon • Nov. 7, 2025

If the central duo of “Hacks” find themselves in a constant push-pull of cruelty and intimacy, it’s because each character sees comedy as not just an art form but an addiction.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2025

There are some tensions around this, which have seeped into a push-pull between the leadership and HTS, according to Mr Jazmati.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2025

But with really good partners, all you need is just the push-pull suggestion.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey