drag

1 of 3

noun

ˈdrag 

plural drags

1

: something used to drag (see drag entry 2) with

especially : a device for dragging under water to detect or obtain objects

2

: something that is dragged, pulled, or drawn along or over a surface: such as

a

agriculture : harrow

b

: a sledge (see sledge entry 3 sense 2) for conveying heavy bodies

c

: conveyance

3

a

: the act or an instance of dragging or drawing: such as

(1)

: a drawing along or over a surface with effort or pressure

(2)

: motion effected with slowness or difficulty

also : the condition of having or seeming to have such motion

(3)

: a draw on a pipe, cigarette, or cigar

took a drag on his cigar

also : a draft (see draft entry 1 sense 2b) of liquid

b

: something (such as slowness of movement or sagging) caused by or as if by dragging

(snooker) "Played it with drag as well, Dennis. I mean absolutely beautifully played, that was: drag on the cue ball so once it's made contact with the object ball there's hardly any life left on it. …"

—John Parrott

(geology) Friction along a fault surface may cause the rock layers adjacent to the fault to be bent or folded. … Such folding of the rocks abutting a fault is called drag …

—W. John Nelson

c

dated slang : influence securing special favor : pull

"If you've got a drag with old Macy, maybe he'll raise you," was Charley's disheartening reply. "But he didn't raise me till I'd been here nearly two years."

—F. Scott Fitzgerald

4

a

: something that slows or impedes motion, action, or advancement

Bringing up the rear was the drag, the worst position in the line [of a herd of cattle]. Drag riders had to make sure the weakest members of the herd kept pace, while breathing all the dust kicked up by the entire herd.

—Vic Kovacs

b(1)

physics : the slowing force acting on a body (such as an airplane) moving through a fluid (such as air) parallel and opposite to the direction of motion

(2)

mechanical engineering : friction (see friction sense 1b) between engine parts

also : a slowing due to friction

c

: burden, encumbrance

the drag of population growth on living standards

d

: one that is boring or gets in the way of enjoyment

thinks studying is a drag

5

hunting

a

: an object drawn over the ground to leave a scented trail

b

: a clog (see clog entry 1 sense 1a) fastened to a trap to prevent the escape of a trapped animal

6

: street, road

the main drag

7

a

: entertainment in which performers caricature or challenge gender stereotypes (as by dressing in clothing that is stereotypical of another gender, by using exaggeratedly gendered mannerisms, or by combining elements of stereotypically male and female dress) and often wear elaborate or outrageous costumes

"… Atlanta … was, like, mecca for drag. It had the traditional drag queens who were female impersonators. But, you know, I had come from the punk rock side of the tracks, and we did drag as a social comment …"

—RuPaul

—often used before another noun

Drag shows are events where performers impersonate characters from a certain gender and often don elaborate costuming and makeup.

—Lauren Wavra

The drama sparked a conversation within the LGBTQ community regarding trans, female, and nonbinary drag performers.

—Xavier Piedra

see also drag king, drag queen

b(1)

: the costumes worn by drag performers

performing in drag

also : stereotypically gendered clothing worn by someone who is of a different gender

… writing about her first experience using the men's toilets while in male drag …

—Anna Carey

(2)

: costume

What was perhaps most embarrassing about Cyrus' dismal gig was its cutesy toys—a giant teddy bear from which she popped to cavort with a dance troupe in fuzzy bear drag.

—Camille Paglia

especially : a costume used to impersonate a person or kind of person

… Paul Newman and Robert Redford romping about in bad-guy drag like naughty Hardy Boys ain't my idea of a western.

—Mark Goodman

8

sports : drag race

drag

2 of 3

verb

dragged; dragging; drags

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to draw or pull slowly or heavily : haul

dragging a box down the hall

(2)

: to cause to move with slowness or difficulty

dragged myself up the stairs

dragging his feet

(3)

: to cause to trail (see trail entry 1 sense 1a) along a surface

wandered off dragging the leash

b(1)

: to bring by or as if by force or compulsion

dragging the kids to the grocery store

(2)

: to extract by or as if by pulling

drag the truth out of him

c

: protract

drag a story out

2

a

: to pass a drag over

drag a field

b

: to explore with a drag

drag the pond for the drowning victim

c

hunting and fishing : to catch with a dragnet (see dragnet sense 1)

3

baseball : to hit (a drag bunt) while moving toward first base

4

computers : to select and move (an item on a computer screen) by using a mouse, a touch screen, etc.

drag the icon to the bottom row

Drag and drop any image into the search box on images.google.com to help determine whether a photo is fake.

—Laura Anastasia and Mary Kate Frank

intransitive verb

1

: to hang or lag behind

Stop dragging and hurry up.

2

: to fish or search with a drag (see drag entry 1 sense 1)

3

: to trail along on the ground

Your scarf is dragging.

4

a

: to move slowly because of fatigue

was dragging after the long trip

b

: to proceed or continue laboriously or tediously

The lawsuit dragged on for years.

5

: draw sense 4a

drag on a cigarette

6

: to make a plucking or pulling movement

7

sports : to participate in a drag race

draggingly

ˈdra-giŋ-lē 

adverb

drag

3 of 3

adjective

: of, being, involving, or intended for a person wearing clothing typical of the opposite sex : of, being, involving, or intended for a person in drag (see drag entry 1 sense 7b(1))

a drag ball

Phrases

drag one's feet or less commonly drag one's heels

: to act in a deliberately slow or dilatory manner

Synonyms

Noun

• bore
• drip
• droner
• dullsville
• nudnik
• nudnick
• snooze
• snoozer
• yawn
• yawner

Verb

• draw
• hale
• haul
• lug
• pull
• tow
• tug

Examples of drag in a Sentence

Noun

My parents can be such a drag. They won't let me do anything.

These meetings are a total drag.

Let me have a drag from your cigarette.

He took a long drag on the cigarette.

Verb

She dragged one of the other tables over to ours.

Firefighters dragged the man to safety.

One of the parents eventually dragged the screaming toddler out of the store.

The broken muffler dragged behind the car.

The dog's leash was dragging along the ground.

The child is always dragging his blanket.

The puppy ran up to us, dragging her leash behind her.

He dragged himself up the stairs and climbed into bed.

Can you drag yourself away from that computer?

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Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Initially though, the real-life experience ended up being a real drag, unfortunately. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Nov. 2023

In one of her most famous quotes, Mitchell takes a long drag on a cigarette and expresses her indifference to being liked. —Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 12 Nov. 2023

The city aims to attract climate migrants, seeing them as a feeder of the economy, rather than a drag on it. —Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Nov. 2023

Women’s lack of participation is a drag on the economy and contributes to a plunging birthrate. —Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023

Their melding of dance, circus, striptease, contemporary art, fashion, drag, burlesque struck him as a formula that would work in Las Vegas. —Melinda Sheckells, Variety, 3 Nov. 2023

Despite the rising cost of entertainment becoming a drag on wallets, the company said 92% of fans plan to go to more shows or the same amount next year. —Anne Steele, WSJ, 3 Nov. 2023

Listeners also are treated to a running list of great drag names (including recent faves Bonnie Irate and Phyllis Inn). —Lina Lecaro, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023

Usually, however, reading is fair game, frequently affectionate, and always part of the process by which good drag performances make and unmake gender in real time for their audiences: reading is partially about winning, but partially about an earnest commitment to gender’s fragile unreality. —Gabriel N. Rosenberg, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2023

Verb

The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles alleged that the company had failed to disclose that its vehicle attempted to pull out of traffic after the crash, dragging the victim forward about 20 feet. —WIRED, 20 Nov. 2023

The agency alleged the self-driving-car company, which reportedly had roughly 400 cars operating in San Francisco, withheld video of a Cruise robotaxi dragging a person down a street. —Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023

The surveillance video shows the suspect dragging the victim down the stairs before pushing him away. —Stepheny Price, Fox News, 15 Nov. 2023

Thus this chronicle of a one-month visit to Norway that drags on for seven years ends up an incongruously charming footnote to a much larger conflict that just keeps escalating. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Nov. 2023

My brother also dragged the crackers from Washington, DC to a bachelor party in Austin where a bunch of 30-year-old dudes also saw the mini Saltine light. —Carey Polis, Bon Appétit, 13 Nov. 2023

The rapper recently settled a dragging lawsuit with her former record label, 1501 Entertainment. —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2023

As this year’s negotiations between SAG and AMPTP dragged on, generative AI became the major sticking point. —WIRED, 9 Nov. 2023

As the strike drags on, frustration has mounted among SAG’s members. —Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Nov. 2023

Adjective

And RuPaul’s Drag Race star Trixie Mattel shattered boundaries as the first drag queen to perform at Stagecoach (an especially important appearance as states like Tennessee continue to introduce anti-drag legislation). —Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 1 May 2023

Although the most restrictive of these bills has recently been overturned, the future remains murky, with drag bars and drag-queen story hours around the country targeted by demonstrators and vigilantes. —Harper's BAZAAR, 27 June 2023

City Winery will also be separately hosting a drag brunch benefit — which, technically, could fall afoul of Tennessee’s new anti-drag law, since the venue is within 1,000 feet of a church… as is nearly every venue in the famously church-riddled city. —Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Mar. 2023

However, a day before the nation's first anti-drag law was set to take effect, a federal judge temporarily blocked it for violating the First Amendment. —Roman Feeser, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2023

Texas currently has two anti-drag bills under consideration. —Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Apr. 2023

Lee has faced criticism for approving the anti-drag show law, particularly since a photo surfaced of him as a high school senior dressed in women’s clothing in 1977. —Kimberlee Kruesi, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Apr. 2023

As anti-drag bills make their way through the Texas Legislature and plenty of attacks target everything from athletics to health care for individuals from children to adults, now's a tough time to be transgender in the Lone Star State. —Shepard Price, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Mar. 2023

While tens of thousands attended both events in a jubilant return, Garth said that the typically exuberant gathering will have to acknowledge the scale of challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people in L.A. and nationwide, as anti-trans and anti-drag bills are proposed and passed across the country. —August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Noun, Verb, and Adjective

Middle English dragge, probably from Middle Low German draggen grapnel; akin to Old English dragan to draw — more at draw

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Adjective

1887, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing drag

• drag king
• main drag
• drag out
• drag coefficient
• drag queen
• drag into
• drag race
• drag down
• drag bunt
• drag and drop
• drag someone's name through the mud
• knock-down, drag-out
• drag strip
• drag through the mire/mud
• drag kicking and screaming
• drag one's feet
• knock-down-and-drag-out
• drag one's heels
• in drag

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• drag king
• main drag
• drag out
• drag coefficient
• drag queen
• drag into
• drag race
• drag down
• drag bunt
• drag and drop
• drag someone's name through the mud
• knock-down, drag-out
• drag strip
• drag through the mire/mud
• drag kicking and screaming
• drag one's feet
• knock-down-and-drag-out
• drag one's heels
• in drag

See More

Kids Definition

drag

1 of 2 noun

ˈdrag 

1

: a device for dragging under water to detect or gather objects

2

: something without wheels (as a sledge for carrying heavy loads) that is dragged, pulled, or drawn along or over a surface

3

a

: the act or an instance of dragging or drawing

b

: a draw on a pipe, cigarette, or cigar : puff

also : a drink of liquid

4

a

: something that slows down motion

b

: the force acting on a body (as an airplane) to slow it down as the body moves through a fluid (as air)

c

: something that hinders or obstructs progress

5

: someone or something boring

6

: street sense 1, road

the main drag

drag

2 of 2 verb

dragged; dragging

1

a

: to haul slowly or heavily

dragging the suitcase across the room

b

: to move with slowness or difficulty

dragged myself up the stairs

c

: to bring by or as if by force

dragged them to the opera

d

: to pass or cause to pass slowly

the day dragged on

2

: to hang or lag behind

3

: to trail along on the ground

4

: to search or fish with a drag

5

: to take part in a drag race

6

: to move (an item on a computer screen) using a mouse

draggingly adverb