dragging one's feet

phrase

variants also dragging one's heels
present participle of drag one's feet
as in lingering
to move or act slowly I think she's dragging her feet on the project because she thinks it's not worth the effort.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dragging one's feet
  1. falling behind
  2. marking time
Phrase
  • After falling behind by double digits midway through the third quarter, Salaun and Tip Hayes powered a 17-3 run to end the quarter with a 51-49 Golden State lead.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The robot overtook smartphone maker Honor's Lightning near the finish after falling behind early in the race.
    — Reuters, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of falling behind
Phrase
  • The moon represents creation and destruction, rebirth, eternity, the feminine, time, marking time, mystery, the night, and secrets.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of marking time
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

dragging
dragging one's feet
dragging (out)
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Cite this Entry

“Dragging one's feet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dragging%20one%27s%20feet. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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