elongate

verb

elon·gate | \ i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgāt

, (ˌ)ē-, ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-\

elongated; elongating

Definition of elongate

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

: to extend the length of

intransitive verb

: to grow in length

elongate

adjective

\ i-ˈlȯŋ-ˌgā-təd

, (ˌ)ē-, ˈē-ˌlȯŋ-\

variants: or elongated

Definition of elongate (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : stretched out

2 : slender

Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about elongate

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Synonyms & Antonyms for elongate

Synonyms: Verb

drag (out), draw out, extend, lengthen, outstretch, prolong, protract, stretch

Synonyms: Adjective

extended, king-size (or king-sized), lengthy, long

Antonyms: Verb

abbreviate, abridge, curtail, cut, cut back, shorten

Antonyms: Adjective

brief, curt, short, shortish

Examples of elongate in a Sentence

Verb

These stretching exercises can help elongate your leg muscles. New medical procedures have elongated the careers of many athletes.

Adjective

the giraffe's elongate neck is thought to be the result of natural selection

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The changed schedule limits the number of classes students have per day while elongating the class periods. — Daily Pilot, "Laguna Beach welcomes students back to school — a week earlier than usual," 27 Aug. 2019 The tension and weight of the ponytail will pull on the spirals to elongate their shape. — NBC News, "25 time-saving hacks that will add hours back to your week," 12 Aug. 2019 Ideally, the nectar will attract a moth, which will elongate its tongue-like proboscis and stick its head into the tube. — Douglas Main, National Geographic, "Discovery reveals secrets about how ghost orchids reproduce," 11 July 2019 Spritz a medium-hold hairspray on the hair and with your fingers, work it into your curls to help elongate the life of your hairstyle without looking crunchy or too done. — Pia Velasco, Good Housekeeping, "How to Curl Your Hair Using Just a Flat Iron," 10 July 2019 After elongating in response to the nutrient deficiency, the mitochondria lose their cristae (the little folds on their inside) and ball up. — Jeffery Delviscio, Scientific American, "A Flash on Jupiter, the Death of Mitochondria and the World under Your Skin: The Week’s Best Science GIFs," 16 Aug. 2019 Keep your head parallel to your arms and your spine elongated through the neck. — Hayden Carpenter, Outside Online, "12 Yoga Poses for Climbers to Do Daily," 9 Aug. 2019 The Jebel Irhoud skull, for example, has an archaic, elongated back but a distinctly modern face. — Lizzie Wade, Science | AAAS, "Skull fragment from Greek cave suggests modern humans were in Europe more than 200,000 years ago," 10 July 2019 The overlay panel lent dimension to the streamlined shape, while the body-skimming silhouette beneath was flatteringly elongating. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Amal Clooney Takes a Page from Meghan Markle’s Royal Wardrobe Playbook," 28 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'elongate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.