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.
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.
Strong, prolonged damaging wind gusts of 40 to 55 mph will continue to lash the coast as the storm crawls north through Monday.—Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025 The Prime Minister’s critics, even within his coalition, have long accused him of prolonging the war for political survival.—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 11 Oct. 2025 And light pollution in suburban areas can prolong singing by up to an hour.—JSTOR Daily, 10 Oct. 2025 Some cautioned that another prime minister picked from the ranks of Macron's fragile centrist camp would risk being disavowed by Parliament's powerful lower house, prolonging the crisis.—NPR, 10 Oct. 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
Share