Meaning & use
dragged
Last updated
“dragged” is a form of “drag”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
pulled something heavy or difficult to move along the ground.
Grammar: Takes an object: dragged the box.
Patterns
- drag something along
- drag something behind someone
She dragged the heavy suitcase up the stairs.
The children dragged the fallen branch out of the road.
He dragged the chair across the room.
verbtransitive
forced someone to go somewhere they did not want to go.
Grammar: Often used with 'to' or 'into': dragged her to the party.
Patterns
- drag someone to something
- drag someone into something
I had to drag my brother to the dentist.
They dragged him into the meeting even though he was busy.
She dragged herself out of bed at dawn.
verbintransitive
seemed to pass very slowly, especially because of boredom.
Grammar: No object; often used with 'on': The meeting dragged on.
Patterns
- drag on
- drag by
The afternoon dragged on with nothing to do.
The film was so long it dragged terribly.
Time dragged while we waited for the bus.
Word forms
| base form | drag |
|---|---|
| third person singular | drags |
| past tense | dragged |
| past participle | dragged |
| -ing form | dragging |
Common combinations
- drag on
- The meeting dragged on for hours.
- drag yourself out of bed
- I could hardly drag myself out of bed this morning.
- drag something across the floor
- He dragged the table across the floor.
- drag someone into something
- Don't drag me into your argument.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pull
- Pull is a general word for moving something toward you; drag suggests more effort because of weight or friction.
- haul
- Haul is often used for pulling something heavy over a distance, sometimes with a vehicle.
- tow
- Tow means to pull a vehicle or boat behind another; drag is more general and can be used for any object.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: dragged or drug?
dragged vs drug
Drug is a past tense of drag in some dialects, but standard English uses dragged. Drug is also a noun meaning medicine.
Practice
Choose the correct form: Yesterday, she ___ the heavy box to the car.
Choose one answer.
The past tense of drag is dragged (double g). 'Drag' is the base form, 'dragging' is the -ing form, and 'drags' is third person singular.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dragged”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.