lengthy

adjective

ˈleŋ(k)-thē How to pronounce lengthy (audio)
Definition of lengthynext
1
as in long
of great extent from end to end she used a lengthy piece of rope to tie her dog to a tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in far
lasting for a considerable time the store manager gives new associates a lengthy sermon on the evils of shoplifting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lengthy From lengthy approval chains and siloed decision-making to outdated reporting systems and unclear ownership, workflow bottlenecks can delay execution and reduce impact. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 The advocacy group Stand Up for Science has posted advice on writing comments, along with an extremely lengthy and detailed submission that demonstrates just how comprehensive a comment can be. — ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026 The lengthy delay to the funeral has raised questions about how Khamenei's remains have been preserved, as Islamic tradition, anaylsts say, generally calls for prompt burial and discourages chemical embalming. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 BofA said the dollar's recent price action is closely tracking its 2016-2018 pattern, when the greenback rallied in the second half of 2018 after a lengthy correction. — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for lengthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lengthy
  1. long
  2. elongate
Adjective
  • Assuming the battery is fine (and all the other electrical components and solder have survived the long journey through time), how will the iPhone be activated?
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • Now back in King’s Landing, Corlys is distracted at best, meeting with Rhaenyra’s small council to address the crown’s nonexistent funds — the latest on a long list of problems that need solving for the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
    — Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of long
Adjective
  • The shoes featured an ultra-elongated and sharp pointed toe that added a modern twist to the traditional pump silhouette.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 9 June 2026
  • This model is designed to fit an elongated toilet and is powered by a standard GFCI outlet.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Definition of elongate

Browse Nearby Words

lengthwise
lengthy
lenience
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lengthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lengthy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lengthy

Nglish: Translation of lengthy for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All