dragging

American

[drag-ing] / ˈdræg ɪŋ /

adjective

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

He was annoyed by their dragging way of walking and talking.
used in dragging, hoisting, etc..

dragging ropes.

dragging British

/ ˈdræɡɪŋ /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

draggingly

adverb

Etymology

Origin of dragging

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

"Dragging is a disrespectful act and it should not have happened," Judge Armitage said.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2025

"Dragging a trailer full of chips around is not the most intense, tough ask," said Oliver Dixon, senior analyst at consultancy Guidehouse.

From Reuters • Dec. 16, 2022

Dragging out a suspect’s time in detention, by adding more charges, which is common in Japan, has been widely criticized by human rights activists as “hostage justice.”

From Seattle Times • Sep. 27, 2022

Dragging the useless leg, she took a thick earthen bowl from a shelf and went to the fire, where a large pot simmered and smelled of herbs and vegetables.

From "Messenger" by Lois Lowry

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023