prolonged

adjective

pro·​longed prə-ˈlȯŋd How to pronounce prolonged (audio)
: continuing for a notably long time : extended in duration
a prolonged delay
a prolonged recession
a prolonged absence
a prolonged drought
And in today's competitive situation a prolonged strike can very easily lead to a serious loss of market share which is difficult, if not impossible, to recapture.David Reid
Sometimes the only answer is a prolonged time away from the sport followed by a slow, steady reconditioning program along with physiotherapy of some type …William J. Goldwag
prolongedly adverb
… and Andy demonstrates … the odd talent of coughing in his sleep, coughing prolongedly without waking himself. John Updike

Examples of prolonged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The prolonged fight allegedly began when Majors became upset with Jabbari for going to a pub with a friend and having the friend back over to their house. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2024 The prolonged pause in production seems to reinforce that doubt even further. Jeremy White, WIRED, 18 Mar. 2024 But a prolonged closure could have cascading effects on the government and economy. Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 People sensitive to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), another common ingredient in toothpaste, can produce canker sores and skin peeling inside the mouth when exposed to it for a prolonged time. Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 The prolonged closure of schools created another problem, pushing teenagers out of classrooms and into the community, often without positive alternatives. James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 That said, medical experts do recognize a condition known as prolonged grief disorder, which is defined as a persistence of intense feelings of grief (and any physical or emotional problems that go along with it) significant enough to interfere with daily life. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024 Typhoid fever has many symptoms, such as a prolonged high fever, headache and malaise, and Mallon had none of them. Sabrina Sholts, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 Keep at least 2-3 inches of the stalk attached, making your cut just above a leaf, for prolonged freshness. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prolonged.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prolonged was circa 1525

Dictionary Entries Near prolonged

Cite this Entry

“Prolonged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prolonged. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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