as in extension
the act of making longer
a lengthening of the school year is favored by many of the parents in the school district
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in stretching
to make longer
I had to lengthen the handle of the paint roller in order to reach the top of the wall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lengthening
Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Instead, gently encourage the lengthening of your muscles.
—Gerard Hartmann, Outside, 3 Nov. 2025
The researchers also searched for molecular signs of a process called alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), a telomere-extending mechanism that doesn’t rely on the usual enzyme, telomerase.
—New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2025
Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 7 May 2026
This lengthening effect happens all the time for all sorts of waves, not just light.
—Big Think, 1 May 2026
Regrading your property, cleaning overflowing gutters, and lengthening downspouts to direct water away from the house can help.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
The same instinct shows up in the lifestyle creator influencer accent, characterized by uptalk and the lengthening and extra stressing on words.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The lengthening deployments come as Ukrainian commanders in other units have warned of personnel issues, acknowledging that the army will never match the manpower of Russia’s far larger military force.
—Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Adams expressed hopes that any potential litigation and other ongoing disputes can be resolved without further lengthening the project timeline.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Cuts to federal Medi-Cal financing will destabilize public hospitals, lengthening emergency room waits and reducing services.
—Susan Ellenberg, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
Before the start of the Iran war in late February, China's lead in clean technologies was lengthening.
—ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
The solstice signifies the start of winter and also heralds the incremental lengthening of days, symbolizing hope and renewal in many cultures.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Instead, gently encourage the lengthening of your muscles.
—Gerard Hartmann, Outside, 3 Nov. 2025
The researchers also searched for molecular signs of a process called alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), a telomere-extending mechanism that doesn’t rely on the usual enzyme, telomerase.
—New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
Their front crisp seams also have a leg-lengthening effect — a big plus for a petite wearer like me.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 7 May 2026
This lengthening effect happens all the time for all sorts of waves, not just light.
—Big Think, 1 May 2026
Regrading your property, cleaning overflowing gutters, and lengthening downspouts to direct water away from the house can help.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
The same instinct shows up in the lifestyle creator influencer accent, characterized by uptalk and the lengthening and extra stressing on words.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
The lengthening deployments come as Ukrainian commanders in other units have warned of personnel issues, acknowledging that the army will never match the manpower of Russia’s far larger military force.
—Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
Adams expressed hopes that any potential litigation and other ongoing disputes can be resolved without further lengthening the project timeline.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Cuts to federal Medi-Cal financing will destabilize public hospitals, lengthening emergency room waits and reducing services.
—Susan Ellenberg, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2026
Before the start of the Iran war in late February, China's lead in clean technologies was lengthening.
—ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lengthening
Noun
-
Some framed their opposition to the road improvements, and by extension the wall, in the language of cross-border unity.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
The Dolphins and Achane agreed to a four-year contract extension Wednesday evening that keeps him signed to the team through 2030 and is worth a base of $64 million and can reach $68 million with incentives, with $32 million guaranteed, according to a league source.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a 700-mile fault stretching from Northern California to British Columbia and separates the Juan de Fuca and North America tectonic plates, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN).—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
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Rai said the additional five years, stretching the patent from 2026 to 2031, likely stem from the Hatch-Waxman Act, a 1984 law that allows drugmakers to extend patents by up to five years to make up for time lost moving their drug through clinical trials and the FDA approval process.—
Berkeley Lovelace Jr,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Small adjustments made big differences, like increasing pocket sizes to better fit the tennis balls and, with Sabet’s suggestion, extending her coat to the floor.—
Kaio Cesar,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
Mominul followed his 91 with 56 in the second innings, extending his rich form with five half-centuries in a row and became the Bangladesh batter to reach 5,000 runs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Verb
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James Ward During the debate, Republican candidate Steve Hilton said that only a small percentage of California has been developed for housing, arguing that the state should focus on building homes on undeveloped land rather than increasing density in existing cities.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Doing so compresses the light reflected from the plasma, thereby increasing its intensity.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Iran has continued to block ships from passing through the strait, disrupting critical Gulf oil supplies and prolonging the global economic uncertainty surrounding the conflict.—
Peter Nicholas,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
-
Okert walked Ward on five pitches, prolonging the pitching staff’s season-defining propensity.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
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While Clarkson isn’t the first star to break out front-seam jeans — Laura Dern previously took the denim cut for a spin — her outfit reminded us of just how easily the style can make an average outfit feel awe-worthy (not to mention how great the cut is for elongating figures).—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
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The vertical navy stripe pattern is classic and elongating, with a pop of color in the green-and-yellow collar accent that keeps it feeling fresh.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lengthening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lengthening. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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