lengthens

verb

present tense third-person singular of lengthen
as in extends
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lengthens Tucking your chin gently toward the floor while lying down lengthens the back of the neck. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026 Its bitterness opens the palate, while the tea lengthens the drink without relying on more alcohol. — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 The secret is to choose a top with vertical details—think visible buttons, linear embroidery, or a high neck that visually lengthens the torso. — René Chávez Esparza, Glamour, 9 July 2026 For greater tensile strength, the Bluesign partner is using looms from Muller and Kyang Yhe to create webbing with an even density that lessens the amount the material lengthens when under tension. — Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 6 July 2026 These Levi’s 314 Shaping Straight Jeans and Classic Straight Jeans, for example, have an elongating silhouette that lengthens the legs. — Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 30 June 2026 It’s made of soft pebbled leather with a fabric lining, and the adjustable strap lengthens to 22 inches to get the best fit. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 21 June 2026 Francisco Alvarez’s return lengthens the lineup. — Will Sammon, New York Times, 13 June 2026 To begin the response this belatedly only lengthens the road to resolution. — Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lengthens
  1. extends
  2. increases
  3. stretches
  4. prolongs
  5. elongates
Verb
  • The trend even extends into non-League, where a tournament consisting of 45-minute games, the A23 Cup, was scheduled to take place between Slough Town, Hayes and Yeading United and Marlow Town in July.
    — George Edwards, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Tropical storms approaching Hawaii typically hit cooler ocean temperatures before reaching the islands, but Lala will remain over warmer waters due to an ongoing marine heatwave that extends to California and a developing Super El Niño.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of extends
Verb
  • Right now, the average hot day contains about 16 hot hours, but that increases to 19 hours in the medium scenario and 21 hours in the high scenario.
    — Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The chance of rain increases a bit with the potential for spotty showers.
    — Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of increases
Verb
  • Kyiv also claims Moscow is preparing an increase in recruitment for a new push on the front line that stretches 775 miles along eastern and southern Ukraine.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Basins and streams become elongated at larger scales, so that river networks have an inherent directionality that stretches toward the sea.
    — Natalie Wolchover, Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stretches
Verb
  • Whey proteins from Greek yogurt digest relatively quickly, while casein in cottage cheese forms a gastric gel that slows digestion and prolongs nutrient absorption.
    — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 23 July 2026
  • Chief Estella Patterson told committee members officers have a hard time determining the exact age of juveniles without an ID, which delays the investigation and prolongs police interactions.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026
Definition of prolongs
Verb
  • The two-inch platform adds just enough height without feeling unstable and subtly elongates my legs, while still being easy to walk in.
    — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The single pleat elongates the leg, and the lining ensures zero see-through.
    — Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
Definition of elongates

Browse Nearby Words

lengthening
lengthens
lengthiness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lengthens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lengthens. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lengthens

Nglish: Translation of lengthens for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All