drag on
B1 neutral intransitive
In simple words
To go on for too long and become boring or tiring.
Literal meaning: To be pulled forward slowly, like something heavy being dragged along.
Meanings
1 B1
idiomatic
neutral
To continue for longer than is necessary or enjoyable, becoming tedious.
"The meeting dragged on for three hours with nothing resolved."
2 B2
idiomatic
neutral
Of a period of time or conflict, to continue indefinitely with no clear end in sight.
"The legal battle dragged on for years, costing both sides a fortune."
Usage notes
Always implies a negative quality — a meeting, speech, or process that 'drags on' is boring or exhausting because of its length. Cannot be used positively.
Commonly used with
meeting speech negotiation war lecture process dispute
Forms
Base
drag on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
drags on
he/she/it
Past simple
draged on
yesterday
Past participle
draged on
have + pp
-ing form
draging on
continuous
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