prolonged

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

Examples of prolonged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Placing foods in plastic containers that are still hot, using containers for an prolonged period and exposing it repeatedly to the dishwasher can all lead to the release of chemicals. —Gavin Escott, USA Today, 29 May 2026

Whether Glasner was justified or not in his complaints, a prolonged period of poor form, stretching back well over a month, coupled with his outbursts, led to questions over his future. —Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 28 May 2026

In turn, this lowers the amount of energy needed in comparison to a prolonged struggle or pursuit. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Oxford said the prolonged contamination is affecting both businesses and longtime Atlanta traditions centered around the river. —Monique John, CBS News, 28 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prolonged

• belonged
• longed
• pronged
• thronged
• wronged