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
Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
That’s led to a stark split between Wall Street analysts and energy experts, who have been warning that oil supplies could head off a cliff in the coming months or even weeks, dragging the global economy down in the process.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 10 May 2026
Investigators say the driver tried to flee, dragging the officers with the vehicle before crashing into a large pile of trash and pinning one officer against a parked car.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 9 May 2026
From around 2015, the winds started dragging up relatively warm, salty water from the ocean depths to the surface.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
In too many places, counties are dragging their feet, and the result is that a program meant to help people is not reaching enough of them.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Verstappen, who won four championships from 2021 through 2024, was voted by fellow drivers and team bosses as the greatest driver last year after dragging a subpar car to within inches of a fifth title, narrowly losing out to McLaren’s Lando Norris.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Sam instead proposes that the performer dance to it without music, a prompt that is followed by Anne Hathaway flinging herself across the room, dragging her body across the floor in a hypnotic spectacle that seems to convey struggle, possession, and loss of control.
—Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Many fans on social media are lauding his accomplishment of dragging a bloated corpse of a roster to a 3-0 series lead at 41 years of age without Austin Reaves or Luka Doncic in the fold.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
Travelers end up dragging coats through museums or try to shove them into already full suitcases before a train transfer.
—Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
That’s led to a stark split between Wall Street analysts and energy experts, who have been warning that oil supplies could head off a cliff in the coming months or even weeks, dragging the global economy down in the process.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 10 May 2026
Investigators say the driver tried to flee, dragging the officers with the vehicle before crashing into a large pile of trash and pinning one officer against a parked car.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 9 May 2026
From around 2015, the winds started dragging up relatively warm, salty water from the ocean depths to the surface.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
In too many places, counties are dragging their feet, and the result is that a program meant to help people is not reaching enough of them.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Verstappen, who won four championships from 2021 through 2024, was voted by fellow drivers and team bosses as the greatest driver last year after dragging a subpar car to within inches of a fifth title, narrowly losing out to McLaren’s Lando Norris.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Sam instead proposes that the performer dance to it without music, a prompt that is followed by Anne Hathaway flinging herself across the room, dragging her body across the floor in a hypnotic spectacle that seems to convey struggle, possession, and loss of control.
—Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Many fans on social media are lauding his accomplishment of dragging a bloated corpse of a roster to a 3-0 series lead at 41 years of age without Austin Reaves or Luka Doncic in the fold.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging
Adjective
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They’re also covered in an airy mesh upper material that facilitates airflow during activities — including sweaty workouts and leisurely strolls.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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Yes, there are two international trips, including one to the literal other side of the world — a destination that makes Mexico City’s 7,200 feet of altitude seem like a leisurely stroll down the block, making the Niners the league’s official guinea pigs for global domination.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The same numbers powering that rally show capital pulling further ahead of labor.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
10 May 2026
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The digital twin created for one of Rajasthan’s largest state utilities mapped 5 million grid assets—poles, lines, transformers, and network infrastructure—by pulling together feeder, meter, and billing data previously stored in separate silos.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Electric propulsion also enables Blitz to have a low acoustic as well as infra-red signature, delaying detection.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
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Temporarily delaying action on a state law that would open the door for a lot of homes to be built across the city.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Police said the driver was eventually able to escape by crawling out a window.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
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Staff started out by wearing bear masks and animal furs, then crawling into the enclosure to spoon-feed the cubs formula.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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Pool service can be a bit slow during busy times, but once your perfectly prepared daiquiri arrives, all is forgiven.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
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So future agreements could involve cooler normalisation, selective security cooperation, quieter diplomacy and a slower expansion.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The film eliminated even a gesture toward a plot while showing solitary nonprofessional and real-life ranch-hand Misael Saavedra chopping and hauling logs in the Argentinian hinterlands (in actuality, Alonso’s family’s ranch).—
Vadim Rizov,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
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In terms of where to beach, wide stretches of sand in Beach Haven remain some of the Jersey Shore’s most desirable, drawing surfers at sunrise, families hauling coolers and striped umbrellas by midday, and sunset walkers lingering until the sky fades pink over the dunes.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Damp conditions inside the drum encourage mildew and lingering odors that can be tough to remove from fabric.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
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The filmmaker explores how Inés’ coming of age mirrors the lingering wounds of Chile’s political transition to democracy from the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet – a theme at the heart of Martelli’s feature debut Chile ’76, which premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Audiences have championed the films for their creeping realism and slow-building scares that made ordinary bedrooms, hallways and home security cameras feel terrifying.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
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This low-mounding shade perennial sends up taller, slender stems with airy flower clusters, and the groundcover spreads by slowly creeping rhizomes.—
Judy Nauseef,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dragging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dragging. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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