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
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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
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Recent Examples of dragging
Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
This is a man who has dedicated six and a half years of his life, just about every waking moment, to dragging his club to the top of the mountain.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Two men in a truck saw Davis dragging Raines, per the reports, and stopped.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
To pass, Spectra had to run highly complex nuclear stockpile and molecular physics simulations without crashing, dragging, or fracturing code.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 May 2026
Simulations indicate the smaller cluster initially swept through the larger one, dragging gas sideways and generating the enormous spiral.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 May 2026
Teenagers drove the adoption of video games, personal computers, social media, and smartphones—dragging skeptical parents along behind them.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 May 2026
In mid-May, just about everyone’s dragging a body part that could use a month of rest.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 May 2026
The uncanny vision is made even eerier when Hoop spots her late mother dragging her five children through the human tide.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 19 May 2026
Verb
Sources of Putin’s Sluggish Polling One would think that the reason for this decline in Putin’s approval rating would be the war in Ukraine dragging on.
—Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
This is a man who has dedicated six and a half years of his life, just about every waking moment, to dragging his club to the top of the mountain.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Two men in a truck saw Davis dragging Raines, per the reports, and stopped.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
To pass, Spectra had to run highly complex nuclear stockpile and molecular physics simulations without crashing, dragging, or fracturing code.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 May 2026
Simulations indicate the smaller cluster initially swept through the larger one, dragging gas sideways and generating the enormous spiral.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 May 2026
Teenagers drove the adoption of video games, personal computers, social media, and smartphones—dragging skeptical parents along behind them.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 May 2026
In mid-May, just about everyone’s dragging a body part that could use a month of rest.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 May 2026
The uncanny vision is made even eerier when Hoop spots her late mother dragging her five children through the human tide.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging
Adjective
-
The painting shows a lush, verdant Italian landscape, whose richness allows even peasants to enjoy leisurely strolls along its paths.—
Tyler Green,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
-
For a leisurely day around town, style the pants with a casual ’90s-style tank top and comfortable sandals (or sneakers, if biking in open-toe shoes feels too ambitious).—
Kelsey Stewart,
Glamour,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
And courts have rejected the idea of pulling funding from them in the past.—
Josh Funk,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
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To harvest, use pruning shears, scissors, or a knife to cut cucumbers from the vine, rather than pulling them off, as tugging can harm the plant.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Hilton proposes to reform the California Environmental Quality Act so that only government prosecutors can sue, preventing private individuals and organizations from stopping or delaying new housing projects.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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Nearly 40% of calls handled by Sacramento’s emergency medical services system were non-emergencies, tying up ambulances and paramedics, delaying urgent medical responses and adding nearly $5 million in costs to the city, according to a city audit.—
Reeti Malhotra
May 29,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The adjustable cords along the bottom cuffs even keep bugs from crawling up your calves.—
Katie Jackson,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
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New York has an opportunity this week to make Toronto’s chances of crawling back into the division race seem daunting.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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Recovery of the bodies has been slow because of the chemicals and other hazards present at the site, Amos explained.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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One of the most painful things about this disease is knowing that promising treatments are emerging, but funding barriers and manufacturing and procedural slow-downs continue to derail progress.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Many are in their 70s or older, hauling tens of kilograms of cardboard for a pittance in order to scrape by in one of Asia’s richest cities.—
Catherine Phillips,
CNN Money,
24 May 2026
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Jeremiah Brent is at the wheel of his vintage orange Kubota tractor, hauling plants and soil for his new vegetable garden.—
Ingrid Abramovitch,
Architectural Digest,
22 May 2026
Verb
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The finish is medium to long, with lingering notes of oak, cocoa, and a light citrus-spice lift.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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The Athletic Club Oakland had closed in February, with blame going toward the lingering effects of the pandemic and professional sports teams leaving Oakland.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Signing Tuch also pushes the Red Wings’ chips all-in on the next two or three seasons, with Larkin and Tuch creeping toward the ends of their respective primes.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
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Apathy is creeping in, which is more dangerous than outrage, with many opting to wait for streaming.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dragging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dragging. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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