drag down

phrasal verb

dragged down; dragging down; drags down
1
: to force (someone) into a bad situation or condition
We cannot let our enemies drag us down to their level.
2
: to make (someone) unhappy
You can't let her bad moods drag you down.
3
: to make (something) lower in amount or quality
High energy costs are dragging down profits.

Examples of drag down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Consumer spending is not unraveling but the spectre of tariffs and persisting inflation is dragging down consumer and business confidence. David Moin, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2025 Join 1 other in the comments View Comments The tariffs in place and the uncertainty from the ones Trump has yet to announce have already dragged down the US economy at a precarious time, when a growing share of consumers are struggling financially. Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025 Concerns about inflation and weak consumer sentiment dragged down the stock market on Friday, as Wall Street keeps struggling to assess the path forward for the U.S. economy with the full impact of President Trump’s tariffs looming. Danielle Kaye, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 Meanwhile, fears of rebounding inflation from tariffs have dragged down consumer sentiment and spending, cutting off fuel for the US and global economies. David Goldman, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for drag down

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drag down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drag%20down. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!