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

Bitcoin has been in a prolonged slump since October, and BTIG noted that a similar surge in January 2023 initially faded before the cryptocurrency found support around its 200-day moving average. — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026

Emergency services have been battling wildfires driven by an intensifying El Nino pattern and a prolonged dry season, generating dense smoke that crossed into Malaysia and Brunei, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. — Muhammad Hatta, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

High heels naturally put the foot in a plantarflexed position, engaging the calf muscles to activate for a prolonged period of time and increasing pressure on the ball of the foot. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026

It’s added to problems stemming from a prolonged downturn in the housing market that has undermined household wealth. — Chan Ho-Him, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prolonged

• belonged
• longed
• pronged
• thronged
• wronged