as in extension
the act of making longer
his habitual prolonging of any task so that it fills up an entire afternoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in lengthening
to make longer
would like to prolong our vacation by any means possible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prolonging
Paul Webster Hare, The Conversation, 19 Jan. 2026
The prolonging of the war has also ratcheted up Israel’s isolation on the world stage.
—New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Gerry Doyle, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
Try Lasagna Planting Another popular planting technique that can work well for prolonging your garden’s blooms is the lasagna method.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 3 Apr. 2026
Since then, Republicans and Democrats have pointed fingers at each other for prolonging the shutdown.
—Justin Papp, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
In the March 31 season 8 premiere of Welcome to Plathville, Ethan opened up about the divorce, which had not yet been finalized at the time of filming, and accused Olivia of prolonging the process.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
The disagreement has left the two chambers at an impasse, with neither proposal able to pass both the House and Senate, prolonging the funding lapse and its effects on airport security staffing and operations.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Minoxidil works by prolonging the anagen phase, allowing hair to grow longer and fuller before eventually transitioning into the rest period.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
For Brianna Scola, Osborn’s aunt, the defense’s move Wednesday was yet another distraction prolonging the suffering felt by her family and others impacted by the deadly crash.
—Annie Vainshtein, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2026
The concern is that occupying the island with US troops would result in high casualties, likely triggering Iranian retaliation against gulf countries’ infrastructure and prolonging the conflict, the senior gulf official said.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
Looking ahead, Trump’s prolonging of Chavismo is a political gamble in Florida – a state where many Latin Republican voters despise the system and any dealing with socialist governments.
—Paul Webster Hare, The Conversation, 19 Jan. 2026
The prolonging of the war has also ratcheted up Israel’s isolation on the world stage.
—New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
Shipping and oil-market analysts say a ceasefire without a plan to reopen the strait risks leaving the strategic artery in Tehran’s hands, prolonging the shock.
—Gerry Doyle, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
Try Lasagna Planting Another popular planting technique that can work well for prolonging your garden’s blooms is the lasagna method.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 3 Apr. 2026
Since then, Republicans and Democrats have pointed fingers at each other for prolonging the shutdown.
—Justin Papp, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
In the March 31 season 8 premiere of Welcome to Plathville, Ethan opened up about the divorce, which had not yet been finalized at the time of filming, and accused Olivia of prolonging the process.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
The disagreement has left the two chambers at an impasse, with neither proposal able to pass both the House and Senate, prolonging the funding lapse and its effects on airport security staffing and operations.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Minoxidil works by prolonging the anagen phase, allowing hair to grow longer and fuller before eventually transitioning into the rest period.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
For Brianna Scola, Osborn’s aunt, the defense’s move Wednesday was yet another distraction prolonging the suffering felt by her family and others impacted by the deadly crash.
—Annie Vainshtein, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2026
The concern is that occupying the island with US troops would result in high casualties, likely triggering Iranian retaliation against gulf countries’ infrastructure and prolonging the conflict, the senior gulf official said.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prolonging
Noun
-
The four-year extension means that bond will run through the 2030 season.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Junis put two runners on base with no outs before getting back-to-back batters to fly out to the outfield before Higashioka took a dribbler and rocketed a throw to first, with an excellent extension from Jake Burger, for the game’s final out.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These stretchy, flattering jeans come in a range of washes that are both leg-lengthening and easy to move around in.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Celebs like Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Garner have recently worn this leg-lengthening style, which is sleek without feeling tight or restrictive.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The prolongation was 242 days in 2023 and 346 days in 2024, according to the report.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The same applies to the brilliant turquoise of Turks and Caicos’s water, extending miles beyond its shoreline like an electrified aura.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Without extending the boundary, the same area that was under threat of annexation by Hialeah in 2023 remains at risk.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And in that stretching, the distance between citizens and political change continues to grow.—
Jasmin Lilian Diab,
The Conversation,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Aurigny, an airline based out of Guernsey, an island in the English Channel, has cancelled some flights from mid-April stretching into early June as a result of the war.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The film is set in a mountain village where an elderly woman named Hettie (Hettie Farmer) lives alone on a small farm, tending her flock of goats with increasing difficulty.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
New York City Councilwoman Farah Louis is under increasing scrutiny amid a federal public corruption investigation involving the state’s homeless shelters for migrants.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prolonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prolonging. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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