elongate

verb

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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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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 Instead of elongating legs and creating an hourglass silhouette, the clothes make legs look stumpy and the torso thick. — National Geographic, "The idea of beauty is always shifting. Today, it’s more inclusive than ever.," 7 Jan. 2020 The Lions led most of the game, until two questionable penalties on Trey Flowers elongated fourth-quarter Packers scoring drives. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "Barry Sanders still fumes at Detroit Lions' Week 6 loss to Packers: 'I felt robbed'," 29 Jan. 2020 But that’s when the lingering slow boarders elongate the tail and drag the process out, and the fast-first policy finishes second. — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, "Math Proves the Fastest, Most Efficient Way to Board a Plane," 16 Jan. 2020 Wall Stretch The runner’s wall stretch is a great way to stretch and elongate the muscles in the back of your leg. — Stephanie Mansour, NBC News, "What is plantar fasciitis? And what can you do to relieve the pain?," 16 July 2019 Subsequent drops of black paint will be in different stages of the same transformation: stretching, elongating, getting incorporated into the graying body of the paint. — Quanta Magazine, "Mathematicians Prove Universal Law of Turbulence," 4 Feb. 2020 But unlike a stripe that visually elongates a room, chevron is zigzaggy and assaulting. — Elizabeth Mayhew, Washington Post, "6 decorating trends that need to die," 31 Dec. 2019 In villages in the Schwarzwald, there are sneering houses: the little window in the roof is elongated like a sly eye. — Vladimir Nabokov, The New Yorker, "Man and Things," 8 Nov. 2019 Lakshmi dighal, Rani kajal and Jabra can elongate their stems as floodwaters rise, keeping their seed-bearing panicles above water up to four meters deep. — Debal Deb, Scientific American, "The Struggle to Save Heirloom Rice in India," 16 Oct. 2019

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.