Phrasal verb
drag on
Definition
phrasal verb. to continue for a long time in a way that is boring or slow. You use this when an event feels like it is taking forever.
phrasal verb. to continue for an excessive or tedious amount of time. The verb is intransitive in this sense, though it frequently takes a duration-based prepositional phrase.
Examples
“The meeting dragged on for three hours.”
“The legal battle dragged on for years, exhausting both the family's patience and their savings.”
“As the afternoon shadows lengthened, the professor's lecture continued to drag on, much to the visible chagrin of the restless students.”
Examples
simple
“The meeting dragged on for three hours.”
contextual
“The legal battle dragged on for years, exhausting both the family's patience and their savings.”
complex
“As the afternoon shadows lengthened, the professor's lecture continued to drag on, much to the visible chagrin of the restless students.”
Usage
Usually describes events like meetings, movies, or speeches that feel unnecessarily long.
Teaching tip
Contrast with 'last' or 'continue' to show the negative connotation of boredom or frustration.
Pitfall
He dragged on the meeting for an hour.
The meeting dragged on for an hour.
In this sense, 'drag on' is intransitive; if you want to say someone made the event last longer, use 'drag out' instead.
Phrasal verb
Particles
on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
drag + on
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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