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
In this film, his protégé is Li Fong (Ben Wang), a quiet teenager who gets dragged out of Han’s dojo by his protective mother (Ming-Na Wen, utterly wasted) to move to New York City.
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Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 28 May 2025
Senate Democrats, meanwhile, have vowed to drag out Martin’s confirmation, demanding a hearing and setting up a fight over one of Trump’s most controversial nominees.
—Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025
The ability to consistently make clear and efficient decisions — without waffling or dragging out the process — is a common trait among successful leaders, leadership expert Scott Mautz wrote for CNBC Make It in June.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
As the house was engulfed in flames, firefighters dragged out two men, later identified as Oliverio and Alejandro.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for drag out
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Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 28 May 2025
Senate Democrats, meanwhile, have vowed to drag out Martin’s confirmation, demanding a hearing and setting up a fight over one of Trump’s most controversial nominees.
—Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025
The ability to consistently make clear and efficient decisions — without waffling or dragging out the process — is a common trait among successful leaders, leadership expert Scott Mautz wrote for CNBC Make It in June.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
As the house was engulfed in flames, firefighters dragged out two men, later identified as Oliverio and Alejandro.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for drag out
Cite this Entry
“Drag out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drag%20out. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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