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.

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

• draggingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of dragging

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

Example Sentences

Dragging the tree back to the car, we told stories, laughed and tripped over snowbanks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

Together, they duetted on Stop Dragging My Heart Around and Landslide, while Styles wore an embroidered songbird badge, referring to McVie's track Songbird from the 1977 album, Rumours.

From BBC • Jul. 15, 2024

Dragging themselves through the muddy, treacherous rainforests of the Darién Gap, they took a break every 10 minutes.

From New York Times • Dec. 3, 2023

Dragging a defender, Yanni Gourde centered and put a shot on net.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 14, 2023

Dragging the sack on the floor behind him, Papa stooped over, moving his hands up and down and around imaginary plants, pretending he was picking cotton.

From "The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child" by Francisco Jiménez