# drag on

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/drag-on
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He dragged on the meeting for an hour." but "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.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.