decades-long

adjective

de·​cades-long ˈde-ˌkādz-ˌlȯŋ How to pronounce decades-long (audio)
variants or less commonly decadeslong
: lasting two or more decades : occurring over a period of two or more decades
a decades-long career
… no discussion of wolf research would be complete without mention of this fascinating, decades-long study.Robert R. Ream
His decades-long accumulation of books makes an eclectic mix …Stephen Mihm

Examples of decades-long in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Away from the cameras, Matt and Luciana have remained committed to their decades-long romance, including seeing each other in the middle of projects, attending red carpet events and getting matching tattoos. Jessica Booth, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026 Beyond design, the project continues a decades-long relationship between Swatch and the Guggenheim. Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 15 Jan. 2026 Last year, Turkey reached a historic turning point in its decades-long conflict with militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) after the group renounced violence and ambitions to secede. Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026 The 10-acre community park, which will have playgrounds, picnic areas and community spaces, was part of a decades-long effort to repair damage after the city razed homes to build parking lots at Fair Park, a move legacy residents cite as emblematic of long-standing underinvestment. Devyani Chhetri, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for decades-long

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decades-long was in 1930

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Cite this Entry

“Decades-long.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decades-long. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.

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