to drag on

Examples

• All

• The war dragged on for two years.

  Killer Eye: Halloween Haunt (2011)

• Yeah, well, a trial can drag on a long time.

  Compliance (2012)

• Every single one seems to drag on and on, so how can you turn that around?

  Harvard University

• We know how these cases can drag on.

  Final Analysis (1992)

• In the waiting room, not much was happening and time seemed to drag on.

  Academic text (2011)

• And so not to let this drag on much longer, I'll just say this.

  Stephan Speaks

• This could have dragged on for months.

  The China Syndrome (1979)

• If the invasion had failed, the war would have dragged on much longer.

  Academic text (1994)

• Demonstrations are very important but often drag on for long periods of time.

  Academic text (2009)

• I've let this drag on far too long.

  Neil Stryker and The Tyrant of Time (2017)

Synonyms

D

to drag

vsto drag on

133 3.4

To continue slowly in a way that makes time feel long

is the common phrasal form used for that same prolonged event

D

to drag out

vsto drag on

• Informal

23 5.1

Make something last longer than needed, causing boredom or frustration

occurs naturally rather than being deliberately prolonged by someone

L

to linger on

vsto drag on

8 4.5

Spend too much time thinking or talking about something

is about any long boring continuation not only discussion or thought

D

to drag on forever

vsto drag on

• Informal

1 5.2

To continue much longer than expected and make people bored

expresses a long continuation without the extra emphasis on extreme length

Antonyms

C

to conclude

208 3.1

To finish an activity or event

M

to make quick work of

• Informal

4 3.9

Finish a task quickly and well

How Long

to drag on forever

• Informal

1 5.2

to drag on

42 3.9

to continue

∞ 1.0

to last

∞ 1.0

to end

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology