Slepende

Slepende is a Dutch adjective and present participle formed from the verb slepen, meaning to drag or tow. It is used to describe something that drags or progresses slowly, either in a physical sense or in a figurative sense, such as a person, an object, a process, or a condition.

In usage, slepende is typically placed before a noun as an attributive adjective. Common phrases include slepende ziekte for a chronic or lingering illness, and slepende rechtszaak for a protracted legal case. The term can also describe processes or situations that move slowly, resist resolution, or carry on for an extended period.

Etymologically, slepende comes from slepen, with the participle form slepend (and its passive counterpart gesleept in past tenses). As an adjective, slepende is used to convey the sense of dragging or delaying action, whether physical or metaphorical.

The word is widely used in contemporary Dutch, including journalism, medicine, law, and everyday speech. It carries a neutral to slightly formal tone and is suitable for descriptive, analytical, or explanatory writing.

See also: slepen, slepend, gesleept.