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

This dynamic—in which defensiveness and reflexive secrecy lead to prolonged struggles over information that may or may not be important—has been a recurring problem throughout modern U.S. history. —Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025

Critical Role isn’t afraid to throw in guest stars at the table to add a little spice, with personal friends and colleagues dropping in for short or prolonged stints stretching back to Campaign 1. —Dana Reboe, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025

Young children, older adults, and people with heart or breathing conditions should avoid strenuous or prolonged outdoor activity, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said Tuesday morning in a statement shared on social media. —Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025

The surge in the data centers' water use comes as Texas endures prolonged drought, with about a quarter of the state still experiencing dry conditions despite intermittent heavy rain and flooding. —Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prolonged

• belonged
• longed
• pronged
• thronged
• wronged