prolonged

1 of 2

adjective

pro·​longed prə-ˈlȯŋd 

: 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

prə-ˈlȯŋ-əd-lē 

adverb

… and Andy demonstrates … the odd talent of coughing in his sleep, coughing prolongedly without waking himself.

—John Updike

prolonged

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of prolong

Examples of prolonged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Tia’s captivating live performance won over the audience and seasoned industry professionals alike, drawing a prolonged standing ovation at the end of the show. — Billboard China, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026

Forest and land fires in Indonesia have worsened this year as El Niño intensifies a prolonged dry season. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

More than four and a half years into the war that Moscow launched with its full-scale invasion in 2022, Black Sea shipping has increasingly been drawn into a prolonged battle of economic endurance. — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026

Israel held five elections between 2019 and 2022, amid prolonged political instability. — Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prolonged

• belonged
• longed
• pronged
• thronged
• wronged