as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
a mysterious, cloaked figure with a strange, dragging walk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pulling
to cause to follow by applying steady force on
the deliveryman dragged the barrels over against the wall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
one of the climbers was beginning to drag
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in crawling
to move slowly
the play dragged and seemed to take forever to get to its predictable conclusion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dragging
Lauren Morganbesser,
semafor.com,
1 July 2026
One small habit that has helped me tremendously is dragging important emails directly into my calendar.
—
Michel Koopman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The storm is being driven by a deep upper-level trough plunging into the Rockies and Intermountain West, dragging in an unseasonably cold air mass that is dropping temperatures 15 to 20 degrees below normal in some areas, the USA TODAY Network previously reported.
—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
Working with 5 to 6 pieces at a time, remove fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking.
—
ABC News,
29 June 2026
His shot was saved by a diving Neuer, knotting the PKs at three apiece, giving Germany extra life and dragging the shootout on into sudden death.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
Police said the man who witnesses said was dragging the woman then approached that neighbor while he was still armed with the machete, and the neighbor shot him at least once.
—
Briauna Brown,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
Or dragging a cooler to the beach filled with fruit, cheese, and a bottle of rosé.
—
Jamila Robinson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 June 2026
Tech is dragging global stock markets lower Tuesday, with the sell-off driven primarily by chipmakers.
—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Verb
Compounding concerns, California officials say the Department of Transportation is dragging its feet.
—
Lauren Morganbesser,
semafor.com,
1 July 2026
One small habit that has helped me tremendously is dragging important emails directly into my calendar.
—
Michel Koopman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The storm is being driven by a deep upper-level trough plunging into the Rockies and Intermountain West, dragging in an unseasonably cold air mass that is dropping temperatures 15 to 20 degrees below normal in some areas, the USA TODAY Network previously reported.
—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
Working with 5 to 6 pieces at a time, remove fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking.
—
ABC News,
29 June 2026
His shot was saved by a diving Neuer, knotting the PKs at three apiece, giving Germany extra life and dragging the shootout on into sudden death.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
Police said the man who witnesses said was dragging the woman then approached that neighbor while he was still armed with the machete, and the neighbor shot him at least once.
—
Briauna Brown,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
Or dragging a cooler to the beach filled with fruit, cheese, and a bottle of rosé.
—
Jamila Robinson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 June 2026
Tech is dragging global stock markets lower Tuesday, with the sell-off driven primarily by chipmakers.
—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging
Adjective
-
Mondays have $5 martinis, mules and margaritas, Fridays and Saturdays are for boogying upstairs and the patio at Metro is an any-day spot for a leisurely drink or three.
-
That was when the lensman captured the social set at their leisurely and often strikingly dressed best.
Verb
-
And often, data centers are pulling from municipal water supplies, Anisfeld said.
-
Haaland’s winning goal came after another bout of yanking and pulling; the striker tried to free himself by slapping the defender’s arm away, eventually just carrying on regardless.
Verb
-
While delaying benefits is typically optimal, a hypothetical 22% cut by 2033 significantly shifts optimal claiming ages for many single individuals, potentially encouraging earlier filing, but often not for married couples.
-
Some workers were granted exemptions, and a handful of departments were delaying implementation of the governor’s mandate.
Verb
-
The Germans were crawling as far as the street, dashing across the asphalt, then leaping into the second trench.
-
Jude Cornell joined a swarm of toddlers crawling after soccer balls, tossing training cones into the air and relocating a goalie net that was proving to be very, very portable.
Adjective
-
There was no repeat of the slow start that cost him a spot last season.
-
The house old-fashioned can be made with bourbon or gin and is a much slower sip.
Verb
-
Rotating the pot a bit to encourage even growth is fine; hauling your ficus all over the house is not.
-
Since its launch, the company has diversified into logistics, fuel delivery, and transport, including hauling containers from Cuban ports to different provinces.
Verb
-
This season, our editors are savoring the activities that take us back to some of our favorite childhood days—jumping off docks, sliding down twisty pool slides, and lingering outside long into the evening.
-
Any strange or lingering foot symptoms, though, could be a sign of a bigger health condition.
Verb
-
Costs begin creeping higher, margins get a little tighter and profitability comes under pressure.
-
About 1 million 16-to-24-year-olds now find themselves not in employment, education or training, with levels creeping toward highs not seen since the 2008 financial crash.
Cite this Entry
“Dragging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dragging. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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