DRAGGING Synonyms: 173 Similar and Opposite Words

dragging 1 of 2

adjective

as in leisurely

moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed a mysterious, cloaked figure with a strange, dragging walk

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dragging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of drag

as in pulling

to cause to follow by applying steady force on the deliveryman dragged the barrels over against the wall

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in delaying

to move or act slowly one of the climbers was beginning to drag

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in crawling

to move slowly the play dragged and seemed to take forever to get to its predictable conclusion

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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

Verb

The story went viral, Rust recalls, dragging local, state and, ultimately, federal officials into a Keystone Kops-like battle of wills. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 During the transformation the gases escape, dragging dust and ice particles off the surface with them. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2026 With fighter jets screaming over the ballpark in preparation for a weekend air show and innings dragging on over a 3 1/2-hour game, the Toronto Blue Jays came away with a massive 6-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Half-dead and dragging himself on his belly through a muddy field, Eddie is far from the calm, affable aristocrat audiences first met in Season 1. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026 Scott also admitted to shooting Palmer and dragging his body away from the trail into an overgrown area near a tree line. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026 In addition, people are urged to secure to chains to avoid dragging and potential spark and not to toss cigarette butts out of vehicles. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 When the woman tried to leave, Potts allegedly dragged her into another room and slammed her on the floor, before dragging her by her legs down a flight of stairs, investigators said, according to the outlets. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026 Additionally, there are large sticky mats that construction companies use to keep workers from dragging dirt to non-construction areas. — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging

Adjective

Before a night out filling your belly with local grub in the Old Port (which is a leisurely 20 minutes away on foot), hit the Five of Clubs bar for a seasonal drink like the cantaloupe- and lemon-laced Melancholia, along with half a dozen oysters.

— Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 7 Sep. 2026
In lower Manhattan and beyond — caught by paparazzi — he can be seen out and about in big sunglasses and tiny shorts, taking leisurely strolls with his fiancée, Zoë Kravitz.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of leisurely

Verb

Rural leaders will probably follow the urban practice of ensuring community input – as required by Congress – before allowing tax-delaying investments by wealthy financial backers.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Sep. 2026
In a 2022 One Earth study of more than 47,000 people across 68 countries, researcher Kelton Minor and colleagues found that warmer nighttime temperatures shorten sleep, mostly by delaying when people fall asleep.

— Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of delaying

Verb

But semis are hauling the majority of goods in America, especially to the final destination, the final place where it’s sold or picked up.

— Joel Feder, The Drive, 2 Sep. 2026
Beyond the beds, Radica keeps the interior simple, leaving the pickup floor available for hauling cargo, just as it was intended.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of hauling

Verb

Still, there was a cloud of public doubt lingering over the event.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
For evening observers, this apparition has been more frustrating than triumphant, with Venus lingering low in the glow of twilight instead of climbing into a commanding position.

— Joe Rao, Space.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of lingering

Verb

Each of its elements began, long ago, in the loamy earth, hatching and creeping or slipping, slick and squealing, from the womb of the mind.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
But when the death watch beetle starts creeping around Kylie’s boyfriend (Xolo Maridueña), an emotionally available DJ — the script’s words, not mine — the truth about her bloodline comes spilling out.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026