PROLONG Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'prolong' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of prolong are extend , lengthen , and protract . While all these words mean "to draw out or add to so as to increase in length," prolong suggests chiefly increase in duration especially beyond usual limits. // prolonged illness

Q: How do 'extend' and 'lengthen' relate to one another, in the sense of 'prolong'?

Both extend and lengthen imply a drawing out in space or time but extend may also imply increase in width, scope, area, or range. // extend a vacation // extend welfare services // lengthen a skirt // lengthen the workweek

Q: How are the words 'protract' and 'prolong' related?

Protract adds to prolong implications of needlessness, vexation, or indefiniteness. // protracted litigation

prolong

verb

prə-ˈlȯŋ

Definition of prolong

as in to lengthen

to make longer would like to prolong our vacation by any means possible

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the verb prolong contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of prolong are extend, lengthen, and protract. While all these words mean "to draw out or add to so as to increase in length," prolong suggests chiefly increase in duration especially beyond usual limits.

prolonged illness

How do extend and lengthen relate to one another, in the sense of prolong?

Both extend and lengthen imply a drawing out in space or time but extend may also imply increase in width, scope, area, or range.

extend a vacation

extend welfare services

lengthen a skirt

lengthen the workweek

How are the words protract and prolong related?

Protract adds to prolong implications of needlessness, vexation, or indefiniteness.

protracted litigation

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 prolong Its latest treadmill run could reveal how well the platform withstands prolonged repetitive movement. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026 Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains dangerous and constrained, prolonging uncertainty over oil supplies and fuel prices. — Cathy Bussewitz, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2026 This is how most consumers first engage with collections, and re-sees create a second — and more intimate — moment for the pieces online, enabling brands to prolong the momentum, says Melbourne. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 The question is how long these records are stored and whether researchers could prolong or expand each cell’s storage capacity. — Diego Hernandez-Saavedra, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prolong

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prolong

Verb

In both countries, falling fertility rates and lengthening lifespans keep worsening the fiscal picture.

— NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
Cryptographers responded by lengthening the keys, and 2,048 bits is now considered the minimum.

— Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of lengthen

Verb

Allen drained it to extend Charlotte’s lead to 20, and then found Dennis Schröder for a high-five as Miami called a timeout.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
L3Harris is pursuing an air-breathing ramjet design intended to improve fuel efficiency and extend engagement distances.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of extend

Verb

Kim Hong-Cheol, the South Korean military official, said leaving the dispute over the military demarcation line unresolved would increase the risk of accidental clashes because troops from both sides act on their own understanding of the line.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
As rain chances increase overnight, the temperature will drop to 40 degrees.

— Hali Smith October 23, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of increase

Browse Nearby Words

prologues

prolong

prolongation

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Style

“Prolong.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prolong. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of prolong

verb

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