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
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 Mar. 2026
Videos posted to social media taken by witnesses show law enforcement putting people in handcuffs, and some show agents tackling people to the ground and dragging them.
—Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2026
But investigators say city surveillance video shows the SUV accelerating toward the victim, up over the curb, and onto the sidewalk, dragging him onto the street before speeding away.
—Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
The mistake was dragging it out for years, stubbornly clutching a depreciating asset while better offers came and went.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
If current events or personal issues are dragging you down, put them in the context of history (yours or the world’s).
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 1 Mar. 2026
Democrats countered that the president bypassed Congress and risked dragging the country into a wider conflict.
—Joseph Morton, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
More broadly, Lawson over-relies on staticky textures and bottomless reverb, occasionally washing the songs together and dragging the album under the weight of its vibes.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 24 Feb. 2026
Fernandes in 2023-24 was an imperfect player, dragging a flawed side kicking and screaming toward relevance.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
Based on the 1928 original, the watch features a solid gold dial with an aperture that displays jumping hours at 12 o’clock and a secondary aperture that shows dragging minutes.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 Mar. 2026
Videos posted to social media taken by witnesses show law enforcement putting people in handcuffs, and some show agents tackling people to the ground and dragging them.
—Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2026
But investigators say city surveillance video shows the SUV accelerating toward the victim, up over the curb, and onto the sidewalk, dragging him onto the street before speeding away.
—Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
The mistake was dragging it out for years, stubbornly clutching a depreciating asset while better offers came and went.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
If current events or personal issues are dragging you down, put them in the context of history (yours or the world’s).
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 1 Mar. 2026
Democrats countered that the president bypassed Congress and risked dragging the country into a wider conflict.
—Joseph Morton, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
More broadly, Lawson over-relies on staticky textures and bottomless reverb, occasionally washing the songs together and dragging the album under the weight of its vibes.
—Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 24 Feb. 2026
Fernandes in 2023-24 was an imperfect player, dragging a flawed side kicking and screaming toward relevance.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging
Adjective
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With that much space, visitors and locals alike have plenty of room for water sports, leisurely beach days, and sightseeing.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2026
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What to see today Visitors have their choice of hiking to the top of Natural Bridge or taking a leisurely ride on a sky lift over the trees and to the top.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Those worries have spilled into financial markets, pulling share prices sharply lower.—
Alex Veiga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Someone’s always pulling the knife out or holding the knife.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The union is calling for an inflationary increase to wages effective July 1, while Cassellius has proposed delaying inflationary raises until January to save money.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The inspector general accused the department of blocking long-standing access to internal DHS databases used for oversight work, restricting data related to border enforcement and TSA programs, and delaying access to classified intelligence systems.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Galahadosuchus represents one of the early ancestors of that lineage, and the evolutionary path from upright sprinter to belly-crawling ambush predator is a long one.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
23 Feb. 2026
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But Baba’s streets were crawling with ICE proxies during his entire childhood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Council members LaWana Slack-Mayfield, Malcolm Graham and Joi Mayo, whose west Charlotte District 3 contains most of the affected part of I-77, pressed the agency on its slow responses to their questions, asked in November, shortly after NCDOT released its maps for the first time.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
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The jokes and musical bits are amusing but not groundbreaking, and the story is too light and slow to have a real impact.—
Rachel Simon,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Singh was stopped for inspection at a weigh station while hauling a load of frozen chicken along Interstate 80.—
Simon Hankinson,
Boston Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
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Clear Creek County Investigators said both the driver and passenger got out of the truck, which was hauling two trailers, and were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Still, a 12-person jury was selected Monday, and opening arguments went ahead in the Manhattan federal courthouse Tuesday morning, amid lingering questions about whether it could all be upended by a last-minute deal.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Mar. 2026
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But lingering high prices and cost-of-living issues could become a liability for Republicans in power.—
The NPR Network,
NPR,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That later Presidents did indeed engage in military action without consulting Congress, creeping on to a power reserved for the legislature, is a fact of the past century and a half of American history but especially since the rise of the national-security state during the Cold War.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
3 Mar. 2026
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In full sun or partial shade and well-draining soil, creeping thyme puts on a show, with small flowers covering the ground like a colorful carpet.—
Jamie McIntosh,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dragging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dragging. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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