A drawl is a slow, relaxed way of speaking where vowels get stretched out and words take longer to say. Think of the difference between someone quickly saying “Hi there!” and someone saying “Hiii theeere” in a lazy, unhurried way.

People from the American South are famous for speaking with a drawl. Instead of saying “I'm going to the store,” someone with a Southern drawl might say something that sounds more like “Ahhm goin' to the stoooore,” with those vowel sounds lasting much longer. A cowboy in an old Western movie might drawl, “Well, I reckon we better git movin'.”

People drawl for different reasons. Some grow up in places where everyone speaks that way. Others might drawl when they're tired, relaxed, or trying to sound casual and easygoing.

You can also use drawl as a verb: “He drawled his answer slowly.” You can also say, “She speaks with a noticeable drawl.” While many people find a drawl charming and friendly-sounding, it can sometimes make speakers seem slower than they actually are, which isn't fair at all.