DRAGGING (OUT) Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

dragging (out)

verb

present participle of drag (out)

as in lengthening

to make longer pointless questions that merely dragged out the meeting another hour

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging (out)

Verb

The Clinique High Impact Mascara is a volumizing and lengthening formula that separates the lashes for a dramatic, bold finish.

— Jessie Quinn, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
The ultimate test for whether Dryad’s system or Seneca’s drones can nip fires in the bud will come if fire agencies deploy them during the lengthening wildfire season.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 July 2026

Definition of lengthening

Verb

Stories of outlaws have been crucial to drawing out the fullness and intricacy of that picture.

— Niela Orr, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Most of the comedy lies in drawing out the characters’ ridiculous attempts to fit into crime movie archetypes — but more than once, this only draws attention to the film’s own failure to meet the standards of its genre.

— Elena Lazic, Variety, 26 June 2026

Definition of drawing out

Verb

Too fearful of discrimination to go to hospitals for antiretroviral drugs, many transgender people have stopped taking them — significantly increasing their risk of transmission.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
OpenAI disclosed the incident in a blog post on Tuesday, a stunning announcement that is certain to set off alarm bells across the industry about the increasing power of AI models and the risk of them going rogue.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 22 July 2026

Definition of increasing

Verb

The Oakwood and Flowery Branch police departments will help make immigration arrests, extending the reach of federal immigration enforcement inside Hall County, one of Georgia’s largest immigrant enclaves.

— Lautaro Grinspan, AJC.com, 25 July 2026
Italian art critic and curator Cloe Piccoli has been selected as the new artistic director of Milan’s miart fair for a term extending from 2027–29.

— News Desk, Artforum, 24 July 2026

Definition of extending

Verb

That could mean walking for two to five minutes every 30 to 60 minutes, taking calls while standing or pacing, using stairs, stretching, or doing a few bodyweight movements between meetings.

— Jakob Roze, Health, 23 July 2026
The metropolitan area was instead placed in parts of three districts, with Cohen’s reshaped district stretching a couple hundred miles eastward before reaching north toward the Nashville suburbs.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of stretching

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Browse Nearby Words

dragging one's feet

dragging (out)

draggle

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“Dragging (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dragging%20%28out%29. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of dragging (out)

verb

Example Sentences

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