To pull through means to survive a dangerous situation or recover from a serious illness or difficulty. When doctors say a patient will pull through, they mean the person will survive and get better, even though things looked scary for a while. A family might gather at the hospital, worried about their grandfather, and feel enormous relief when he finally pulls through surgery.

The phrase implies that the situation was genuinely serious, that failure was a real possibility, but the person found the strength or got the help they needed to make it. A student might pull through a really challenging semester by working extra hard, or a struggling business might pull through tough economic times by making smart decisions.

You can also help someone else pull through by supporting them when they need it most. A friend going through family troubles might pull through because you were there to listen and help. The phrase carries hope: even when things look bad, people have an impressive ability to pull through when they keep trying and get support.