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

Military experts ​expect it to call for further spending increases aimed primarily at deterring China from starting a conflict with Taiwan ​that could also draw Japan into a prolonged war. — Reuters, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

Finally, heavy or prolonged bleeding should prompt a physician evaluation. — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Others, like Yard Act, are just gearing up despite the prolonged siesta season. — E.r. Pulgar, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026

The dispute follows the collapse of the CCA earlier this year after a prolonged period of financial problem. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prolonged

• belonged
• longed
• pronged
• thronged
• wronged