Engineering English
Drag
Aerospace Engineering · Manufacturing Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: The aerodynamic force component acting parallel to and against the direction of motion of a body through a fluid. It combines pressure and friction effects and must be overcome by thrust to sustain flight.
Example in context
“Retracting the landing gear immediately after takeoff removes a large source of drag and improves the climb gradient of the aircraft.”
“İniş takımının kalkıştan hemen sonra toplanması büyük bir sürükleme kaynağını ortadan kaldırır ve uçağın tırmanma eğimini iyileştirir.”
Where engineers use it
Drag is estimated during configuration studies, cruise performance analysis and flight test data reduction. It directly sets required thrust and fuel consumption, so an engineer needs it to trade range against payload and to justify aerodynamic clean-up work on the airframe.
Synonyms: Air resistance
Antonyms: Thrust
In Manufacturing Engineering
The lower half of a two-part sand mold in sand casting. The drag contains the bottom part of the pattern and is placed on the molding board or floor.
“After ramming the sand, the drag was lifted and turned over to expose the pattern for removal.”
Practice: can you use “Drag” at work?
A trainee reviews flight test data showing higher than predicted fuel burn and must identify which drag contributions to investigate first and how to separate them.
Show a model answer
“Reducing drag lets the engine burn less fuel at cruise speed.”
“Drag” in 21 languages
| English | Drag |
|---|---|
| Turkish | Sürükleme kuvveti |
| French | Traînée |
| German | Widerstand |
| Spanish | Resistencia aerodinámica |
| Chinese | 阻力 |
| Arabic | قوة السحب |
| Portuguese | Arrasto |
| Russian | Лобовое сопротивление |
| Japanese | 抗力 |
| Italian | Resistenza aerodinamica |
| Vietnamese | Lực cản |
| Hindi | कर्षण बल |
| Thai | แรงต้าน |
| Indonesian | Gaya hambat |
| Korean | 항력 |
| Bengali | টান বল |
| Dutch | Luchtweerstand |
| Swedish | Luftmotstånd |
| Finnish | Ilmanvastus |
| Ukrainian | Аеродинамічний опір |
Frequently asked questions
What does Drag mean in engineering?
The aerodynamic force component acting parallel to and against the direction of motion of a body through a fluid. It combines pressure and friction effects and must be overcome by thrust to sustain flight. In Aerospace Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Drag?
Drag is pronounced /dræɡ/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Drag used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “Retracting the landing gear immediately after takeoff removes a large source of drag and improves the climb gradient of the aircraft.”
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