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
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 2 June 2026
The green beans provide shade, prolonging the spinach growing season by preventing bolting and excess sun exposure.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 27 May 2026
In other words, that men live longer and healthier lives if they are backed up by a spouse in doing so, while women don’t see the same support in prolonging their length and quality of life.
—Katharina Buchholz, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Kabuga, somewhere in his 90s — his age is disputed — and suffering from severe dementia, had been forced to remain in the United Nations detention facility in The Hague after he was found unfit to stand trial in 2023 as no country was willing to take him in, prolonging the case against him.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
Regular Harvesting Frequent picking is essential for prolonging your cucumber harvest.
—Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
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
These dynamic risks are prolonging inflation and complicating the path for central banks, which may need to keep interest rates higher for longer to contain price pressures.
—USA Today, 28 Apr. 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
The idea here is to dissuade teams from prolonging their rebuilds.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 2 June 2026
The green beans provide shade, prolonging the spinach growing season by preventing bolting and excess sun exposure.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 27 May 2026
In other words, that men live longer and healthier lives if they are backed up by a spouse in doing so, while women don’t see the same support in prolonging their length and quality of life.
—Katharina Buchholz, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Kabuga, somewhere in his 90s — his age is disputed — and suffering from severe dementia, had been forced to remain in the United Nations detention facility in The Hague after he was found unfit to stand trial in 2023 as no country was willing to take him in, prolonging the case against him.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
Regular Harvesting Frequent picking is essential for prolonging your cucumber harvest.
—Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
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
These dynamic risks are prolonging inflation and complicating the path for central banks, which may need to keep interest rates higher for longer to contain price pressures.
—USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prolonging
Noun
-
To Crowley and Dixit, their multispecies map is a natural extension of this worldview by identifying places meaningful to Penryn’s nonhuman residents and visitors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Officers said that the department's Traffic Unit is currently investigating the crash and asked anyone who witnessed the accident or might have information to get in touch at (805) 928-3781, extension 1139.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
These pants sit high on the waist, creating a leg-lengthening effect, and the side slits at the hem are perfect for showing off your Cushionaire sandals.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2026
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Olive, black, and burgundy can all work well, provided that no one color is overshadowing another—and that the overall effect is cohesive lengthening instead of disjointed.—
Katherine J Igoe,
InStyle,
5 June 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 original 1900 barn has been expanded into a five-bedroom, open-plan home with decks extending from both levels and a 25-foot-tall great room topped by a loft with wood railings.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
8 June 2026
-
Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee stayed white-hot by extending his MLB-leading hitting streak to 15 games with an opposite-field RBI single in the top of the first.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The growth of the embryo is vitally dependent on the stretching of the skin, muscles, and ligaments within the woman’s body as a result of hormonal changes to accommodate this transformation.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
9 June 2026
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To help prepare your body for sleep, experts recommend activities such as stretching, yoga, meditation, prayer, taking a warm shower or bath, reading, or listening to relaxing music.—
Allison Forsyth,
Health,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Eight years later, Loomis voters approved Measure C with more than 71% support, extending the existing tax without increasing the rate.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
Starting July 1, according to an SEC filing Thursday, his target annual bonus is rising to $9 million, and his target annual equity award increasing to $20 million.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prolonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prolonging. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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