drag out

phrasal verb

dragged out; dragging out; drags out
1
: to cause (something) to take more time than necessary
He dragged out the speech much too long.
2
: to force (something, such as a confession) from (someone) : to make (someone) tell one (something)
The teacher eventually dragged a confession out of one of the students.
Doctors sometimes have to drag information out of their patients.

Examples of drag out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In that fire, approximately 30 people were rescued by ladders or dragged out by firefighters. Steven Martinez, jsonline.com, 22 Jan. 2026 She was dragged out of her car and detained. CBS News, 18 Jan. 2026 The two engage in a knockdown drag out fight, with Caleb eventually coming out on top and disabling the programmable matter. Joe Otterson, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026 McDaniel is taking head coach interviews, which could drag out the process if the Lions are intent on waiting for his decision. Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drag out

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Cite this Entry

“Drag out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drag%20out. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

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