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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dragging
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Part of Cantoni’s job is to collect ticks from around the state through a process called dragging.
—Allison Gollenberg, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026
Last year's Canadian Open was a birdie-fest and ball-knowers, aka golf course nerds, are dragging TPC Toronto, calling it lifeless and uninspiring.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
Another sell-off for high-flying artificial-intelligence stocks is dragging Wall Street sharply lower on Tuesday.
—Stan Choe, Fortune, 9 June 2026
With its stock price sliding and its time below $1 a share dragging on, AI Financial and its investors need a lifeline.
—Matt Peterson, CNBC, 9 June 2026
The bear bit through flesh and bone, dragging him for about 20 feet before dropping him and running away.
—Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026
Another dramatic scene from West Virginia showed wind blowing a tent across a lawn, and dragging several people along with it, during a college basketball game between West Virginia University and Cal Poly.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 8 June 2026
Instead of running quietly in the background, sleep evangelists are shouting about its importance from the rooftops, and neuroscientists are dragging it out into the light of day on TED Talk stages for further dissection.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Verb
Tech had a rough Tuesday, dragging the S&P and Nasdaq lower.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Part of Cantoni’s job is to collect ticks from around the state through a process called dragging.
—Allison Gollenberg, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026
Last year's Canadian Open was a birdie-fest and ball-knowers, aka golf course nerds, are dragging TPC Toronto, calling it lifeless and uninspiring.
—Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
Another sell-off for high-flying artificial-intelligence stocks is dragging Wall Street sharply lower on Tuesday.
—Stan Choe, Fortune, 9 June 2026
With its stock price sliding and its time below $1 a share dragging on, AI Financial and its investors need a lifeline.
—Matt Peterson, CNBC, 9 June 2026
The bear bit through flesh and bone, dragging him for about 20 feet before dropping him and running away.
—Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026
Another dramatic scene from West Virginia showed wind blowing a tent across a lawn, and dragging several people along with it, during a college basketball game between West Virginia University and Cal Poly.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 8 June 2026
Instead of running quietly in the background, sleep evangelists are shouting about its importance from the rooftops, and neuroscientists are dragging it out into the light of day on TED Talk stages for further dissection.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging
Adjective
-
In 1943, Shalit headed to the University of Illinois and took a leisurely six years to earn his degree.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
-
That leisurely pace would lead only to more murder, and more assassinations.—
Wesley Morris,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
If the plant was root bound in its pot, consider pulling it out of the ground, loosening up the roots so water can penetrate, and replanting it.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 June 2026
-
The mother of a security guard killed while working at a Deep Ellum nightclub last month has filed a lawsuit against the club and the man accused of pulling the trigger.—
Erin Jones,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
If there are no seats, there’ll be no place to put sick passengers and the train will have to stay in the station, delaying the system.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
-
From stunting and weakening plant growth to delaying flower production, these 1/10th-inch-long pests can wreak havoc.—
Abby Monteil,
The Spruce,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Wrigley Field West, aka Coors Field, was crawling with Cubs fans on Tuesday night.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
-
He was found on Thursday morning, crawling towards Base Camp, and airlifted to Kathmandu, where doctors are treating him for frostbite, severe dehydration and a fractured thigh bone.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Dems slow to embrace data center resistance McMillan Cottom suggested that no public officials on the right or the left have perfected their messaging to align with anti-data center sentiments.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
-
Eating a donut earlier in the day is easier on your body than eating it at night when insulin sensitivity and metabolism slow.—
Brandi Jones,
Verywell Health,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Police say the 27-year-old jumped from the truck and was run over by a trailer on the back hauling a skid loader.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
Ironically enough, the new revenue stream is largely a matter of hauling coals to Newcastle, given the expansion of the field from 32 teams to 48.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The one question lingering after the Garrett trade was whether or not his addition would lure Rams great Aaron Donald, 35, out of retirement for one last ride.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
-
Psychologists have long been interested in why some slights refuse to fade, and how those lingering injuries can settle in — reshaping a person’s thoughts, mood and sense of self over time.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
The vote comes as communities around the country debate how to handle increasingly large data centers creeping into populated areas.—
Mary Ramsey
Updated June 8,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
-
With summer finally creeping into New England, the humidity was high and the rain was occasionally intense.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dragging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dragging. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
