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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging (out)

Verb

Longini explained that climate change is increasing mosquito populations and lengthening their active seasons, contributing to dengue’s spread globally.

— Alex DeLuca, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
In both countries, falling fertility rates and lengthening lifespans keep worsening the fiscal picture.

— NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of lengthening

Verb

Senate race Collins has stuck by Trump in a political bet that drawing out Georgia's MAGA base will give him his best shot at winning in November.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Lizzie and Bridget’s Relationship in Monster The show quickly portrays a dynamic between Lizzie and Bridget, with Bridget’s brash, uninhibited manner drawing out the more reserved and stoic Lizzie.

— Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of drawing out

Verb

Beyond domestic challenges, CATL is also scrambling to build more plants in Europe to avoid running afoul of increasing EU protectionism.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
While the disease remains more common among women over 50, diagnoses among younger women are increasing, prompting cancer specialists to encourage earlier conversations about individual risk.

— Melissa May, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of increasing

Verb

Shares of CoreWeave plunged 10% on Thursday, extending their monthly decline to 36%, while Australia's NextDC tumbled nearly 40% on Wednesday after cutting its earnings forecast.

— Jenny Lee, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
The approval of daraxonrasib, a new life-extending drug for pancreatic cancer, is the biggest advance in decades against a notoriously hard-to-treat disease.

— STAT Staff, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of extending

Verb

Enter the extrait de parfum, a fragrance with concentration beginning at around 20 percent and stretching as high as 60 percent in some cases, versus typically 15 to 20 percent for an eau de parfum.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
The Fantasy Bra has a long history, stretching back 30 years.

— Max Berlinger, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of stretching

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

dragging one's feet

dragging (out)

draggle

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dragging (out)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes