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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
one of the climbers was beginning to drag
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in crawling
to move slowly
the play dragged and seemed to take forever to get to its predictable conclusion
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dragging
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
Brussels is facing criticism over dragging its feet in the enforcement of its digital rulebook, especially its investigation into Elon Musk’s X platform.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
The 2024 Sequoia update also copied Windows' ability to snap a window to fill exactly half the screen by dragging its title bar to the side edge—something that's been around since 2009's Windows 7.
—PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2025
The video, apparently filmed in the living room of the former firefighter’s Fort Worth home by a Ring camera, shows the man dragging a dog over to the sofa.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Sep. 2025
But the point in dragging Vince on my way out the door was to take the heat off of Lauren and Keanu and put it on Morgan and Vince.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025
Back in 2014, it was rumored that Venice would soon begin charging tourists a hefty $620 fine for dragging their suitcases through the Italian city’s historic alleys and city squares; however, city officials swiftly denied that such a law would be enacted.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2025
There is already palpable anger at Hezbollah for dragging the country into a ruinous war that has killed thousands.
—Bilal Y. Saab, Time, 18 Sep. 2025
Willmore praises Anderson for his adaptation of Pynchon’s novel and for dragging the work into the 21st century, as well as the action in the film, comparing it to Terminator 2.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
The Department of Homeland Security has said Villegas González drove his car toward officers, dragging one before the agent opened fire.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging
Adjective
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Drip coffee and pour-overs are closest to the leisurely style enjoyed in Ethiopia, whereas Italian espresso culture was designed to create a more rapid approach.—
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Bedoya said the residence is dubbed Asolare, which in Italian means to pass time in a delightful, leisurely way.—
Verb
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Reports have emerged of individuals quitting their jobs, selling possessions, and even pulling children out of school in preparation for the event.—
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Frustrated by the decision, with both players pulling each other’s shirts, the striker picked the ball up and punched it into the air.—
Verb
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Host Jimmy Kimmel milked the moment, delaying confirming that their answer was correct for a very tense minute.—
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Boys may experience greater benefits from delaying their start date compared to girls, said Ioakim Boutakidis, professor of child and adolescent studies at Cal State Fullerton.—
Verb
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At the time, officials concluded that a few mussels likely hitched a ride on a boat that had been in another infested area, most probably one of the Great Lakes in the Midwest, which are crawling with the critters.—
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Tyriq Withers plays a rising quarterback who, in one skin-crawling scene — spoiler alert!—
Adjective
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The slow start that Mayfield is alluding to has to do with the Buccaneers only scoring two field goals through the first half, and scoring their first touchdown well into the third quarter.—
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Construction in the section of Jackson Park, often described as Chicago’s equivalent of Central Park, has been slow.—
Verb
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That included branding civil rights advocacy and speech defamatory, a breach of the peace, or hate speech, and hauling activists into courts and jails.—
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For families, the villas are also pre-stocked with bulky-but-essential items like a highchair and Pack-n-Play, so there’s no need to overpack or deal with the unnecessary hassle of hauling these supplies with you.—
Verb
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Wandering among the half naked nymphs and leering wolves and buff mermen poking their lovely wet heads out of glassy forest pools, their eyes dark with wanting to drag her down to oblivion.—
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While some are panicking about the potential event, others are poking fun at the prediction.—
Verb
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According to Krueger, Carmel is especially nice to visit in the fall, when the summer crowds have thinned out, but the days are still sunny and warm, with a few crisp evenings creeping in.—
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San Francisco’s night ended with a 6-3 loss, creeping ever closer to elimination.—
Cite this Entry
“Dragging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dragging. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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