drag race

American  

noun

1. a race between two or more automobiles starting from a standstill, the winner being the car that can accelerate the fastest.

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drag race British  

noun

1. a type of motor race in which specially built or modified cars or motorcycles are timed over a measured course

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Other Word Forms

• drag racer noun
• drag racing noun

Etymology

Origin of drag race

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

She’s won the drag race but now she shows every sign of winning the Indianapolis 500.

From Salon • Aug. 26, 2024

During an interview, Elon Musk, who looked like the ghost of a guy who died in a 1950s drag race, was asked if he was antisemitic and said that he was in fact philosemitic.

From New York Times • Dec. 3, 2023

Blaney in his Ford for Team Penske and Harvick in a Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing finished essentially in a drag race with both drivers refusing to lift as a crash broke out behind them.

From Washington Times • Oct. 1, 2023

An early sequence where Dante sends a giant bomb pinballing around Rome is delightfully silly, and of course, the signature drag race scene in Rio delivers that reggaeton-flavored “Fast and Furious” thrill that we’re seeking.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2023

Gragson beat Austin Cindric in a drag race to join the reigning champion in the Xfinity Series title race.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 30, 2021