drag

noun

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\ ˈdrag

plural drags

Definition of drag

(Entry 1 of 3)

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

3a : 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 : a movement, inclination, or retardation caused by or as if by dragging the drag of his bottom lip

c slang : influence securing special favor : pull

4a : something that retards or impedes motion, action, or advancement

b(1) physics : the retarding 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 : retardation 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 this sickly kid is going to be a social drag— Edmund Morris

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

7a : 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 WavraThe 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

verb

dragged; dragging

Definition of drag (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a(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 had to drag her husband to the opera

(2) : to extract by or as if by pulling drag the truth out of him

c : protract drag a story out

2a : 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

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.

4a : 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

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

: to act in a deliberately slow or dilatory manner

drag

adjective

Definition of drag (Entry 3 of 3)

: 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

Other Words from drag Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing drag Learn More About drag

Synonyms & Antonyms for drag

Synonyms: Noun

Synonyms: Verb

Antonyms: Verb

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? See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Prizes for best dressed person, best dressed group, best dressed couple, best drag. — Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant, 20 May 2022 Also in the works are concerts, lectures, and film screenings and drag brunches on the roof. — Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 May 2022 There’s a sod farm near where the main drag meets the Pennsylvania border, and a produce operation on the way out of town headed north. — Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2022 The speed and maneuverability of hypersonics are constrained by factors — like atmospheric drag — that affect all missiles and airplanes. — Joel Mathis, The Week, 18 May 2022 On Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi's picturesque and bustling main drag, elderly women sat selling pins, flags, wristbands and other merchandise emblazoned with the Ukrainian flag or pro-Ukraine messages. — Lincoln Mitchell, CNN, 16 May 2022 Produced by drag icon RuPaul and production company World of Wonder, the live event added a New York edition in 2017, followed by a United Kingdom outpost in 2020. — Alexander Kacala, NBC News, 16 May 2022 From the drag marks in the floorboards, it had been moved many times. — Ling Ma, The Atlantic, 16 May 2022 In team pursuit formation, the third and fourth riders in the line reduce their drag by 55 and 57 percent respectively. — Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 14 May 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Remember to properly dispose of matches, ensure campfires are put out, and don't let vehicle parts drag on the ground. — Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 May 2022 The animal then proceeded to drag the woman's dog off to a different location, wildlife officers said. — Bylauren Meltzer, ABC News, 18 May 2022 Or only drag already troubled people and neighborhoods further into turmoil? — Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2022 The ramp up in military spending, as well as a recent move to send more advanced equipment, indicates a recognition that the war may drag on, experts said. — Washington Post, 13 May 2022 But their jovial attitude will be tested by a company that seems likely to drag its feet to the bargaining table. — Haleluya Hadero, ajc, 24 Apr. 2022 But experts say the retail giant, which has signaled plans to challenge the election results, will likely drag its feet. — chicagotribune.com, 5 Apr. 2022 But experts say the retail giant, which has signaled plans to challenge the election results, will likely drag its feet. — Haleluya Hadero And Anne D'innocenzio, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2022 What was remarkable about Mr. Powell’s relative lack of caution is that the world has lately been giving the Fed ample reason to drag its feet a bit. — Justin Lahart, WSJ, 26 Jan. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective But to keep it a buck, makeup removal ain't no crystal stair for non-drag artists either. — Jihan Forbes, Allure, 15 Feb. 2022 Portrayed by Jared Johnson, 32, who grew up on Milwaukee's north side, Hall emerged in Milwaukee's drag scene nine years ago, becoming a regular performer at Hamburger Mary's. — Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 29 May 2020 She's been working on drag magazine VELOUR and has continued to produce her show Nightgowns, which showcases a diverse array of drag performances in Brooklyn. — John Paul Brammer, Teen Vogue, 4 May 2018 The sunny skies were great and 70-degree temps were perfect, but a flag-snapping crosswind made the drag track sensitive to navigate for those not in tune with the conditions. — Elton Alexander, cleveland.com, 25 June 2017 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'drag.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.