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
Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
The country’s new leaders must recognize that a failure to meet the international community’s expectations of political reform and transparency risks prolonging the country’s exclusion, deepening its instability, and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
—Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
What Happens Next Navarro is expected to file further appeals in the records case, potentially prolonging the legal battle.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
At the same time, economists and fiscal hawks are raising concerns about the fiscal impact of prolonging the cuts, with the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimating that extending all the provisions could add more than $5 trillion to the deficit through fiscal year 2035.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2024
The true story about the death of Paul and Lydia’s son is revealed late in the series, and keeping it obscured for that long doesn’t serve any purpose other than prolonging the suspense.
—Nina Metz Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2024
New approaches replace the mineral oil with natural esters to allow the interior of the transformer to safely reach higher temperatures, prolonging the device’s lifespan in the process.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2024
After all, time is money, so there's a cost to delaying good financial decisions or prolonging bad ones, like keeping too much cash or putting off doing an estate plan.
—Kristin McKenna, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
North Korea has also faced allegations of providing Russia with artillery systems, missiles, and other military equipment, potentially aiding Putin in prolonging the nearly three-year war in Ukraine.
—Michael D. Carroll, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024
Verb
With a 12-month extension prolonging his deal to 2026, Newcastle could command a reasonable fee for the 27-year-old, even if Howe is loath to lose him.
—Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
The country’s new leaders must recognize that a failure to meet the international community’s expectations of political reform and transparency risks prolonging the country’s exclusion, deepening its instability, and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
—Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
What Happens Next Navarro is expected to file further appeals in the records case, potentially prolonging the legal battle.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
At the same time, economists and fiscal hawks are raising concerns about the fiscal impact of prolonging the cuts, with the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimating that extending all the provisions could add more than $5 trillion to the deficit through fiscal year 2035.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2024
The true story about the death of Paul and Lydia’s son is revealed late in the series, and keeping it obscured for that long doesn’t serve any purpose other than prolonging the suspense.
—Nina Metz Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2024
New approaches replace the mineral oil with natural esters to allow the interior of the transformer to safely reach higher temperatures, prolonging the device’s lifespan in the process.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2024
After all, time is money, so there's a cost to delaying good financial decisions or prolonging bad ones, like keeping too much cash or putting off doing an estate plan.
—Kristin McKenna, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
North Korea has also faced allegations of providing Russia with artillery systems, missiles, and other military equipment, potentially aiding Putin in prolonging the nearly three-year war in Ukraine.
—Michael D. Carroll, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prolonging
Noun
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Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder reached an agreement on a four-year super maximum contract extension, ESPN reported Tuesday.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
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Generational planning, for one—Calvin Crandall, the ranching family’s patriarch, placed the land in a perpetual trust a few years ago, ensuring the land would stay together (and, by extension, a viable business) across future generations.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
1 July 2025
Verb
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What’s key is its lengthening fiberstretch pigments and jumbo brush with teeny-tiny bristles that leave no hair uncoated.—
Lauren Valenti,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2025
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Rain may provide temporary relief, but allergy seasons are expected to keep lengthening in the future.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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What matters is that Dan Hurley’s team won, extending its tournament winning streak to 13 games — and, most importantly, keeping alive its dream of a three-peat.—
Brendan Marks,
The Athletic,
22 Mar. 2025
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Next up is the challenge of extending the momentum instead of letting the pendulum swing back wildly again.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Crosby’s work rate is increasing in recent games, his puck battle win ratio even better than usual.—
Josh Yohe,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
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President Joe Biden maintained those tariffs and added tariffs on other Chinese products, including personal protective equipment, electric vehicles, batteries, and steel, slightly increasing the average tariff on imports from China.—
Michael B. G. Froman,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prolonging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prolonging. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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