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 Bregman’s improvement has been a complement to Pete Crow-Armstrong’s incredible season and lengthens the Cubs lineup. — Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026 Farther still, as the road straightens and lengthens, the view is of open space. — Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026 The sideways lean becomes a forward one, the gap between his legs increases, and his feet begin landing beneath or slightly behind his centre of mass as his stride lengthens. — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lengthens
  1. extends
  2. increases
  3. stretches
  4. prolongs
  5. elongates
Verb
  • Beijing envisions a comprehensive AI education system that spans all levels of schooling and extends to the broader public.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Research extends beyond Toyota The new center will also have an academic research role.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of extends
Verb
  • Once the company and its shareholders become accustomed to such a financial boost, an environment where individual guest spending sharply increases even when domestic park attendance is soft or steady, there’s likely no turning back.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • This concern increases tenfold for flight attendants, as a negative interaction isn’t necessarily fleeting; they may be stuck in the air with rude or disorderly passengers for several hours.
    — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of increases
Verb
  • That realization became one of many while crafting a series on a book that spans 50 years and stretches across the country but that Kazan insists is built on the characters, rather than spectacle.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Highway 1 stretches 656 miles from Leggett in Mendocino County to Dana Point in Orange County.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of stretches
Verb
  • The vote prolongs the crisis and raises the chance of early elections at a time of regional security concerns, with the NATO member confronting a sharp increase in drone incursions linked to Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine.
    — Stephen McGrath, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • For other digital-asset businesses, however, the failure prolongs uncertainty.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of prolongs
Verb
  • It’s made from 98 percent cotton with a hint of elastane, offering a comfortable, stretchy, and figure-flattering fit that accentuates my waistline, while the not-too-short hem elongates my legs.
    — Ali Faccenda, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
  • But lady-like neutrals offer understated elegance that elongates the fingers and instantly softens the look of the hands.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 18 Sep. 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 5 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
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

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

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
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All