decades-long
adjective
de·cades-long
ˈde-ˌkādz-ˌlȯŋ 
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
Robert R. ReamHis decades-long accumulation of books makes an eclectic mix …—Stephen Mihm
Stephen MihmExamples of decades-long in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The real Democratic failure lies not in having multiple candidates but in the party’s decades-long inability to develop Latino leaders as household names and frontrunners.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
China cut its growth target, closing a decades-long chapter of breakneck expansion, but maintained a focus on high-tech advancement, defense modernization, and economic self-reliance.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 5 Mar. 2026
The five campuses selected are part of a group of 10 that trustees voted in November to close as part of an effort to tackle a decades-long decline in enrollment and a $65 million budget deficit.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
Already outraged by the decades-long wait for the park, the local community is up in arms over the prospect of 100 stories of concrete and glass looming over Bushwick Inlet.
—Katherine Thompson, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decades-long
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Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
China cut its growth target, closing a decades-long chapter of breakneck expansion, but maintained a focus on high-tech advancement, defense modernization, and economic self-reliance.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 5 Mar. 2026
The five campuses selected are part of a group of 10 that trustees voted in November to close as part of an effort to tackle a decades-long decline in enrollment and a $65 million budget deficit.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
Already outraged by the decades-long wait for the park, the local community is up in arms over the prospect of 100 stories of concrete and glass looming over Bushwick Inlet.
—Katherine Thompson, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decades-long
Cite this Entry
“Decades-long.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decades-long. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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