dragging

American  

[drag-ing] / ˈdræg ɪŋ /

adjective

1. extremely tired or slow, as in movement; lethargic; sluggish.

   He was annoyed by their dragging way of walking and talking.

2. used in dragging, hoisting, etc..

   dragging ropes.

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dragging British  

/ ˈdræɡɪŋ /

noun

1. a decorating technique in which paint is applied with a specially modified brush to create a marbled or grainy effect

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Other Word Forms

• draggingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of dragging

First recorded in 1765–75; drag + -ing ²

Example Sentences

The party's schools spokesperson Caroline Voaden said they had "delivered a major win for pupils, teachers, and families" by "dragging the government" towards introducing a ban.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

In late March, as the Iran war was dragging into its 26th day, Kushner appeared at a Saudi investment conference in Miami.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

He sees that possible as fears over energy shortages and rate hikes could trigger “eventual negative growth shocks around the world,” potentially dragging major economies into recession.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Shares in Goldman Sachs declined around 1.9%, dragging on the Dow industrials, despite the firm reporting better-than-expected profit for the first quarter Monday morning.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

They’d all been dragging last night when they finally got to Valdez.

From "I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964" by Lauren Tarshis