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.
The first year at the new location will coincide with the telecast’s move to YouTube after a decades-long run on ABC. Brent Lang, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026 As Truell takes a Zoom call, the image of Caro—legendary biographer of Lyndon Johnson and Robert Moses, known for his exhaustive, decades-long research—looms over his shoulder, sweatered, bespectacled, writing intently. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026 The 73-year-old Pitino and 63-year-old Bill Self coached against each other for only the second time in the Hall of Famers' decades-long careers, meeting for the first time in March Madness. Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026 There are also hot-button debates about the country’s decades-long ban on nuclear energy and its strict immigration policy. Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 23 Mar. 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 29 Mar. 2026.

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