prolonged

1 of 2

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

prolonged

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of prolong

Examples of prolonged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The tightening pressure gradient between these systems will produce a prolonged period of northeast winds, pushing water toward the beaches and into the back bays. — Grant Gilmore, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026

And those internal discussions are only going to get prolonged moving forward, with the field all but formally set to double in size starting next season. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Leiva was subsequently deported to Guatemala, and Abraham chose to self-deport to avoid prolonged detention. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

But the strain extends across the Global South, where developing nations struggle with a prolonged energy crisis that disproportionately squeezes the planet’s most deprived. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prolonged

• belonged
• longed
• pronged
• thronged
• wronged