1 B1 neutral
To physically pull or force something or someone downward.
"The weight of the water in his clothes began to drag him down."
separable
drag down
B1 neutral separable transitive
To make someone or something worse, lower in quality, or more negative.
In plain English
To make someone feel worse or to make something perform less well.
What does "drag down" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To reduce the performance, quality, or success of someone or something.
"One weak subject can drag down your whole average."
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To make someone feel depressed or lower in spirits.
"Don't let negative people drag you down."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To pull something downward by dragging it.
Actually means
To make someone feel worse or to make something perform less well.
Usage tip
Used both literally (physically dragging down) and figuratively (reducing performance, morale, or quality). The figurative sense is by far the most common in everyday usage.
Words that pair with "drag down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
performance morale grades economy team mood profits
How to conjugate "drag down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
drag down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
drags down
he/she/it
Past simple
draged down
yesterday
Past participle
draged down
have + pp
-ing form
draging down
continuous
Hear "drag down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "drag down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.