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
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Recent Examples of dragging
J.d. Miles, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
That takes nothing away, though, from the epic job Herbert did dragging the Chargers through the second half of the season.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
The result is a dish built for dipping, dragging and unapologetic indulgence.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
The Fitburg was dragging its anchor in the sea, and was directed to Finnish territorial waters, the police and Finland's Border Guard said.
—Reuters, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
Cunningham, 19, is accused of dragging the woman into the roadway.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025
Elevated buying in the Shanghai Gold Exchange’s silver contract in December has pushed premiums to a record high, dragging other international benchmarks along.
—Jack Ryan, Bloomberg, 29 Dec. 2025
Apart from being walking-friendly enough for commuting to and from the office, the relatively comfortable heel also gives your denim, maxidresses, and trousers a little lift, keeping hems from dragging.
—Shelby Ying Hyde, Glamour, 11 Nov. 2025
The United States was, at that point, far and away the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and, in negotiations leading up to the summit, it had widely been seen as dragging its feet.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
Kerra, the dog referenced in the video, had developed a grapefruit-sized mass on her breast tissue that was dragging on the ground and causing significant discomfort.
—J.d. Miles, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
That takes nothing away, though, from the epic job Herbert did dragging the Chargers through the second half of the season.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
The result is a dish built for dipping, dragging and unapologetic indulgence.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
The Fitburg was dragging its anchor in the sea, and was directed to Finnish territorial waters, the police and Finland's Border Guard said.
—Reuters, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
Cunningham, 19, is accused of dragging the woman into the roadway.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025
Elevated buying in the Shanghai Gold Exchange’s silver contract in December has pushed premiums to a record high, dragging other international benchmarks along.
—Jack Ryan, Bloomberg, 29 Dec. 2025
Apart from being walking-friendly enough for commuting to and from the office, the relatively comfortable heel also gives your denim, maxidresses, and trousers a little lift, keeping hems from dragging.
—Shelby Ying Hyde, Glamour, 11 Nov. 2025
The United States was, at that point, far and away the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and, in negotiations leading up to the summit, it had widely been seen as dragging its feet.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging
Adjective
-
Fortunately, there's usually plenty of pleasant autumn days after the first frost to tackle the remaining fall gardening tasks at a more leisurely rate.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Nov. 2025
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During November, coastal towns transform into quieter versions of themselves, offering a season for birdwatching, leisurely walks, or festivals with good music and food.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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As his career skyrocketed, Chalamet spent years quietly training — aided by an expert on the sport, Diego Schaaf — by pulling a table-tennis setup along to productions ranging from Dune to Wonka.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Jan. 2026
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Notre Dame didn’t mess around in pulling all that material together, looking like a program with a plan before the portal opened.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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These cuts mean reducing supply budgets in most departments, delaying the purchase of new math curriculum and Chromebooks, freezing hiring for nonclassroom positions and canceling contract agreements that will not disrupt operations.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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In such cases, delaying treatment may worsen the condition.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Now, Letts has brought Coon back to Broadway with the Main Stem debut of his 1996 play Bug, a skin-crawling portrayal of people on the fringes.—
Juan A. Ramírez,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
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Here, there's a skin-crawling effect to watching the story unfold onstage.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Hoover finished 319 yards on 34-of-50 passing, but his two turnovers were critical mistakes that led to TCU’s slow start in the first half.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
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When visiting the exhibit, plan on taking your time to make the most of it, or what the American Federation of Arts calls slow looking.—
Susan B. Barnes,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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How to Get Around Though Bonaire is easy to explore by car, most visitors will probably want to pick up a truck or SUV when grabbing their rental at the airport; this type of vehicle is better for hauling dive gear or for driving down some of the island's rougher roads to reach remote beaches.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Jan. 2026
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Olivia pays $220 a month for compost hauling by Scraps Mile High, the company Turner started eight years ago and one of nine licensed haulers listed by the city on its website.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ultimately, however, the lingering impact of being dragged last summer is known only to the officer – who is said to be experienced, with more than 10 years of service as an ICE deportation officer, according to DHS.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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The lingering fear of Jerry's wrath?—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Grow as a creeping vine or along a trellis.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Jan. 2026
-
What’s that warmth creeping over you?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dragging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dragging. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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