: 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
David ReidSometimes 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
William J. Goldwag
prolongedly
adverb
… and Andy demonstrates … the odd talent of coughing in his sleep, coughing prolongedly without waking himself.
—John Updike
John Updike
Examples of prolonged in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Their patience during Freddie Freeman’s prolonged free agency through a lockout and into March 2022 helped land the future World Series MVP in Los Angeles.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Two governments subjected to prolonged diplomatic isolation and sanctions.
—Cristina Guevara, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Taiwan should deepen its reserves of ammunition, energy, and food to withstand a prolonged blockade—measured in months, not weeks.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
The grid requires batteries that can store energy for 8 to 24 hours to bridge multi-day weather patterns, seasonal demand swings, and prolonged grid stress—gaps that today are mostly covered by peaking power plants rather than renewables.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prolonged
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Katie Woo, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Two governments subjected to prolonged diplomatic isolation and sanctions.
—Cristina Guevara, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Taiwan should deepen its reserves of ammunition, energy, and food to withstand a prolonged blockade—measured in months, not weeks.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
The grid requires batteries that can store energy for 8 to 24 hours to bridge multi-day weather patterns, seasonal demand swings, and prolonged grid stress—gaps that today are mostly covered by peaking power plants rather than renewables.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prolonged
Cite this Entry
“Prolonged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prolonged. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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