yearslong

adjective

years·​long ˈyirz-ˈlȯŋ How to pronounce yearslong (audio)
: lasting through several or many years
Torrential rains and widespread flooding in Texas have brought relief from a yearslong drought to many parts of the state.John Schwartz

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The yearslong federal remediation, which drew national attention in the 1980s and 1990s, began after a series of companies, including Vertac Inc., buried toxic waste on the site. Will Langhorne, Arkansas Online, 14 May 2023 Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday gave his first public response to an IRS supervisor-turned-whistleblower who claimed to have information for Congress about potential mishandling of the yearslong federal investigation into President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden. Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 2 May 2023 Federal immigration judges are finishing cases at a faster rate than ever before, but a yearslong backlog of pending cases continues to grow. Alicia A. Caldwell, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yearslong.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yearslong was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near yearslong

Cite this Entry

“Yearslong.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yearslong. Accessed 27 May. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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