prolonged 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of prolongednext
as in protracted

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Dissimilar Words

prolonged

2 of 2

verb

past tense of prolong
as in lengthened
to make longer would like to prolong our vacation by any means possible

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 prolonged
Adjective
Research suggests prolonged exposure to extreme heat during pregnancy may increase the risk of certain complications. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 People generally catch bird flu through prolonged, unprotected close contact with infected live or dead animals or their bodily fluids. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
Verb
Poseidon Odysseus’s voyage is prolonged by the consequences of his blinding of the Cyclops Polyphemus, a son of Poseidon. — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 June 2026 The link between maternal stress and premature birth is complex, but a growing body of research suggests that prolonged psychological strain increases the risk of babies being born early, experts say. — ABC News, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for prolonged
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prolonged
  1. protracted
  2. lengthened
  3. persistent
  4. extended
  5. longish
  6. increased
  7. overlong
  8. stretched
Adjective
  • Set during the protracted period of economic decline in 1970s Ghana, two sisters, Evelyn and Maggie, make a deal to run away to the US to start a new life together.
    — Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 1 July 2026
  • The announcement stands in stark contrast with the situation across the Bay, where talks between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland and hundreds of other abuse victims remain mired in a protracted and increasingly bitter stalemate.
    — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 29 June 2026
Definition of protracted
Verb
  • Commissioning budgets have tightened, development cycles have lengthened and the opportunities for growing indies to scale have become increasingly limited.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 2 July 2026
  • The hunting season has been lengthened by nearly two months, and there is no bag limit on does.
    — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of lengthened
Adjective
  • In his inital letter, Lehmkuhl agreed that there is an urgent need to clear debris and address the persistent odor of millions of pounds of rotting food at the site.
    — Jasmine Mendez Follow, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • Though effective medication exists, the issue is persistent in areas with a lack of easy access to testing, treatment and clean water so people don't rely on local bodies of water for drinking and bathing.
    — William McCarthy, NPR, 4 July 2026
Definition of persistent
Verb
  • Aerial video captured by ABC7 showed smoke rising from a smoldering truck as a long line of cars extended south of the incident.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • After a two-month grace period — which Wellcare extended to three — Medicare drug plans can drop customers who don't pay their premiums, no matter how small the amount.
    — Susan Jaffe, NPR, 6 July 2026
Definition of extended
Adjective
  • The errand conveniently provided the opportunity for a longish highway test of Lexus’ newest luxury people-mover.
    — Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
  • When the front door opens, they’re greeted by an androgynous person with longish hair, thick eyebrows and a deep voice.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2025
Definition of longish
Verb
  • And Harleys has entirely redesigned the rear -suspension and increased its travel 117 per cent to five inches (13 cm).
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
  • The share of workers with hybrid schedules has increased a bit, while the share in fully remote positions has only seen a slight decline.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of increased
Adjective
  • This is a nearly two-and-a-half-hour film but Spielberg’s expert pacing keeps it from feeling overlong.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 June 2026
  • There was a parade of nations, perhaps overlong, but analogue and human-scale.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 9 June 2026
Definition of overlong
Verb
  • Stars including Reese Witherspoon, Emma Stone and Paul Rudd were seen departing the venue after the festivities began Friday evening and stretched until the early hours of Saturday morning.
    — Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
  • Brazil were energetic and vertical, Vinicius Junior and Rayan stretched their opponents and Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time winner was just reward.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of stretched

Browse Nearby Words

prolongations
prolonged
prolonging
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on prolonged

Nglish: Translation of prolonged for Spanish Speakers

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