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
prolong suggests chiefly increase in duration especially beyond usual limits.
prolonged illness
protract adds to prolong implications of needlessness, vexation, or indefiniteness.
protracted litigation
Examples of prolong in a Sentence
Additives are used to prolong the shelf life of packaged food.
High interest rates were prolonging the recession.
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Estates can spend significant time and money on appraisals, facing IRS challenges that prolong the process.—Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Harvesting jalapeños regularly will make your plants more productive and prolong the growing season.—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2025 Rapamycin prolonged life when given to yeast, worms, flies and mice and has raised hopes of possibly slowing down the aging process in humans.—Karina Zaiets, USA Today, 30 June 2025 While the Court did not overturn the map today, its refusal to resolve the issue only prolongs uncertainty.—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for prolong
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Middle French prolonguer, from Late Latin prolongare, from Latin pro- forward + longus long
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