as in delay
failure to do something quickly because you do not want to do it
bureaucrats criticized for foot-dragging on important issues
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Recent Examples of foot-dragging
Bureaucratic foot-dragging on the federal level by both Mexico and the United States is directly to blame for the continuing profound flowing of pollution into the Tijuana River.
—
U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
Experts have expressed concern that the Trump campaign’s foot-dragging on transition steps could have implications on the new administration’s national security preparedness by delaying key briefings, according to CNN.
—Maya Marchel Hoff, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024
Welch also disagreed with the Court of Appeals finding that foot-dragging by Kennedy in filing his appeals had not undermined his case.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2024
Clark, a retired CEO from Bluffton, South Carolina, said she's used to foot-dragging and canned apologies.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 26 July 2024
But amid the current catastrophe in Gaza—the most devastating war for both sides in decades—such foot-dragging can no longer stand in the way.
—Mohammad Shtayyeh, Foreign Affairs, 4 July 2024
Hochul endorsed key pieces of the bill, but then by all accounts used little of her massive leverage in negotiations, leaving the foot-dragging state Assembly to hold up this bill and other climate initiatives in the final weeks of the session.
—John Raskin, New York Daily News, 30 June 2024
No better evidence of the bad faith and bias on the part of the right-wing Supreme Court majority exists than its foot-dragging on the decision concerning whether felon and former president Donald Trump can be prosecuted for an insurrection.
—Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
The governor called a rare special session for the legislature to pass a bill ensuring Joe Biden appears alongside Donald Trump on the November ballot after much foot-dragging by his own party.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 May 2024
U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
Experts have expressed concern that the Trump campaign’s foot-dragging on transition steps could have implications on the new administration’s national security preparedness by delaying key briefings, according to CNN.
—Maya Marchel Hoff, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024
Welch also disagreed with the Court of Appeals finding that foot-dragging by Kennedy in filing his appeals had not undermined his case.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2024
Clark, a retired CEO from Bluffton, South Carolina, said she's used to foot-dragging and canned apologies.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 26 July 2024
But amid the current catastrophe in Gaza—the most devastating war for both sides in decades—such foot-dragging can no longer stand in the way.
—Mohammad Shtayyeh, Foreign Affairs, 4 July 2024
Hochul endorsed key pieces of the bill, but then by all accounts used little of her massive leverage in negotiations, leaving the foot-dragging state Assembly to hold up this bill and other climate initiatives in the final weeks of the session.
—John Raskin, New York Daily News, 30 June 2024
No better evidence of the bad faith and bias on the part of the right-wing Supreme Court majority exists than its foot-dragging on the decision concerning whether felon and former president Donald Trump can be prosecuted for an insurrection.
—Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
The governor called a rare special session for the legislature to pass a bill ensuring Joe Biden appears alongside Donald Trump on the November ballot after much foot-dragging by his own party.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Foot-dragging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foot-dragging. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
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