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

But consumer demand in China has been suppressed as confidence took a hit from a prolonged property sector downturn among other factors. — ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026

Reports that Iran may be softening its position on control of the Strait of Hormuz have also reduced concerns over a prolonged disruption to one of the world's most important oil transit routes. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2026

In some of his videos, smaller animals would suffer prolonged torture and death. — Cbs Minnesota, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026

According to Rose, weeks without rain can force them to conserve water, while prolonged storms can leave them with less solar power and unreliable Wi-Fi. — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prolonged

• belonged
• longed
• pronged
• thronged
• wronged