as in delay
failure to do something quickly because you do not want to do it
bureaucrats criticized for foot-dragging on important issues
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Recent Examples of foot-dragging
Many others who were arrested in violation of the decree, however, have been deported or voluntarily removed amid the slow pace of the litigation, foot-dragging by the defendants and the harsh conditions of detention that many immigrants faced, Fleming said.
—
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
The seeming foot-dragging from Treasury seems at odds with the Trump administration’s overall agenda related to Venezuela and revitalizing its energy sector.
—David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2026
There is a famed story about Campos, eyeing the boys foot-dragging, taking them out back and teaching them how to march.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Jan. 2026
Europe could be a natural partner to fill the gap, but the E.U. remains divided and slow in its engagement with Latin America—a fact symbolized by the foot-dragging on the E.U.-Mercosur trade deal, which may finally pass next week.
—Oliver Stuenkel, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
The mediation session scheduled Monday in downtown Los Angeles stems from an evidentiary hearing that began last month to determine whether the city should be held in contempt for alleged foot-dragging in meeting its obligations under the agreement with the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights.
—City News Service, Daily News, 19 Dec. 2025
While progress has been made, the bloc is still impeded by both energy needs and foot-dragging member states.
—Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Nov. 2025
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
The seeming foot-dragging from Treasury seems at odds with the Trump administration’s overall agenda related to Venezuela and revitalizing its energy sector.
—David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2026
There is a famed story about Campos, eyeing the boys foot-dragging, taking them out back and teaching them how to march.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Jan. 2026
Europe could be a natural partner to fill the gap, but the E.U. remains divided and slow in its engagement with Latin America—a fact symbolized by the foot-dragging on the E.U.-Mercosur trade deal, which may finally pass next week.
—Oliver Stuenkel, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
The mediation session scheduled Monday in downtown Los Angeles stems from an evidentiary hearing that began last month to determine whether the city should be held in contempt for alleged foot-dragging in meeting its obligations under the agreement with the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights.
—City News Service, Daily News, 19 Dec. 2025
While progress has been made, the bloc is still impeded by both energy needs and foot-dragging member states.
—Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foot-dragging
delay
Noun
-
Sanfilippo is a fatal pediatric neurodegenerative disorder, with each delay in treatment equaling permanent neurological decline.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
-
Artemis program Due to the Mark 1 issues outlined above, there will either be significant delays to, or the need to restructure the early phases of, the Moon Base program.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foot-dragging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foot-dragging. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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