The children would be a drag on me, so I want to go without them.
Source: tatoeba (246020)
Drag
/dɹæɡ/
Synonyms for "drag" (574 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (115)
adductadductionaffinityaggravationallurementambleannoyancearrestarteryattractattractanceattractionattractivenessattractivityavenuebad newsbagbalebargebe magnetic
Show 76 more words
be prolongedbearing reinbedevilmentbitblockborebotherbotherationbothersomenessboulevardbowl alongbrakebufferbundleburdenburdeningburthenbuttonholercapillaritycapillary attractioncargocarriagecarrycascadecentripetal forcechainchain-smokechargechargingchawcheckcheckreinchewchewingchockclaudicateclogcloutclumpcoaxcoefficient of frictionconfineconnectioncountercheckcrashing borecrawlcreepcumbercumbrancecurbcurb bitdabdaggledallydamperdangledawdledeadweightdecelerationdelaydependdetaindetentiondevilmentdifficultydillydallydistractdoggingdogtrotdoorstopdownerdrabbledraftdrag alongdrag ondrag out
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (172)
drag saildraggledraindrapedraughtdraughtsmandraughtydrawdraw towardsdrenchdressdrift anchordrift saildrinkdripdroguedroopdryasdustdubdusty
Show 109 more words
ease-offease-upeduceencumbranceequalizeevenexasperationfallfall behindfalterfarm machineryfavorfetterflagflaggingflapflat tireflattenflopflounceflowfluid frictionfootfootslogforceforce of frictionforce of viscosityfreightfriction headfriction lossfrictional resistancefrightful boregaitgallopget behindgo dead slowgo ongo on and ongo slowgoof offgradegravitationgravitygreasehabitual smokinghalehalthandicaphanghang backhang downharassmentharrowharryinghaulhave an attractionheadacheheavehighwayhinderhippety-hophitchhobblehold backhold upholdbackholduphophoundinghumdrumhumpidleimpedeininchinch alongincubusincumbencyinduceinfluenceinhaleinhale snuffinside trackinterestinternal frictionironjerkjogjog-trotjoltjumpkeep backladinglaglag behindlallygaglaylazeletdownletuplevellimplingerlinger behindlinger onloadloadinglock steploiter
Noun(25 words)
draggingdrawingdraydraysdrudgeryentanglefagfirm tugfrictionfriction between surfacesfriction relatedfrottagehaleshaulhaulinghaulsheadwindhindranceinvolvejonah
Show 5 more words
Verb(15 words)
Adjective(3 words)
Related words (287)
lollygagloplubricateluglumberlungelurchluremachinerymagnetmagnetismmagnetizemake latemartingalemillstonemincemincing stepsminus accelerationmolestationmosey
Show 188 more words
mowmutual attractionnicotine addictionnicotinismnodnuisanceobstructobstructionoiloppressionoverloadovertaxingoverweightingpacepaddlepainpain in the neckpasspathpegpelhampendpersecutionpersuadepestpiaffepiafferpillplagueplaneplanishplasterplodplowpokepoke alongpotterpowerprancepressureproblemprocrastinateproserpuffpullpull towardspulling powerput offrackremoraresistanceretardretardationretardmentroadrollrolling frictionsaddlingsagsandersashaysaunterscotchscuffscufflescuttlesea anchorsetbackshackleshambleshaveshilly shallyshilly-shallyshuffleshuffle alongsidlesingle-footskin frictionskipslack-upslackenslackeningsledsliding frictionslinkslip frictionslitherslogslouchslow downslow upslowdownslowingslowing downslownessslowupsmokesmokingsmoking habitsmoothsmooth downsmooth outsmoothersnafflesnagsnakespecial favorspokestaggerstagger alongstalkstallstampstarting frictionstatic frictionstaystepstompstopstraddlestragglestrainstreetstridestrollstrolling gaitstrutstumpsuctionsuperincumbencysurchargeswagswaggerswigswillswingsympathytabacismtabacosistabagismtake in towtake snufftarrytaxingthoroughfaretittuptobaccoismtoddletoddle alongtottertotter alongtowtracktractiontrailtrail behindtraintraipsetrammeltrawltreadtrialtriptrolltrottroubletrudgetugtwaddlervelocityvexationvexatiousnesswaddlewalkwamblewaste timewaywear onweepwet blanketwheedlewigglewobblewormworm alongworrimentworrywrench
Verb(20 words)
Noun(58 words)
Adjective(1 words)
steady pull
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: draw, hale, pull, adduct, adduction.
- Sentence evidence is available for drag, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "drag".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "drag"
Keep "drag" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "drag" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "drag", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "drag" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
57 entriesShowing 16 of 57 words.
More specific
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
Collocations
12 entriesair dragdrag a boxdrag a chairdrag across the pagedrag and dropdrag coefficientdrag forcedrag racedrag the cursordrag your feetinduced dragviscous drag
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriesTranslations
7 translations across 7 languages.
Danish
1 entries- drag noun (slang: women’s clothing worn by men)
Finnish
1 entries- drag noun (slang: women’s clothing worn by men)
German
1 entries- Fummel noun (slang: women’s clothing worn by men)
Malay
1 entries- leret noun (slang: women’s clothing worn by men)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- drag noun (slang: women’s clothing worn by men)
Persian
1 entries- درَگ noun (slang: women’s clothing worn by men)
Swedish
1 entries- drag noun (slang: women’s clothing worn by men)
Sample sentences
62 total sentences available.
Don't drag out Chinese sayings about the importance of an environment conducive to learning just to justify moving for a child's entrance exams!
Source: tatoeba (323536)
This looks as though it will drag on and on.
Source: tatoeba (463338)
Some days seem to just drag on and last forever.
Source: tatoeba (954273)
Showing 4 of 62 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "drag"?
Closest matches include draw, hale, pull, adduct, adduction.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "drag"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.