Synonyms of protract

protract

verb

prō-ˈtrakt 

as in to lengthen

to make longer

the highway project was protracted by years of litigation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lengthen
• extend
• prolong
• increase
• stretch
• elongate
• draw out
• drag (out)
• expand
• enlarge
• outstretch
• amplify
• attenuate
• thin

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shorten
• curtail
• cut
• reduce
• cut back
• diminish
• decrease
• lessen
• abridge
• abbreviate
• thicken

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb protract contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of protract are extend, lengthen, and prolong. While all these words mean "to draw out or add to so as to increase in length," protract adds to prolong implications of needlessness, vexation, or indefiniteness.

protracted litigation

How are the words extend and lengthen related as synonyms of protract?

Both extend and lengthen imply a drawing out in space or time but extend may also imply increase in width, scope, area, or range.

extend a vacation

extend welfare services

lengthen a skirt

lengthen the workweek

Where would prolong be a reasonable alternative to protract?

In some situations, the words prolong and protract are roughly equivalent. However, prolong suggests chiefly increase in duration especially beyond usual limits.

prolonged illness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of protract

The pain of the 27-21 loss was slow, protracted, as Miami fought throughout the second half to the point of a possible game-winning drive with two minutes left, only for that drive to end in an interception. —Noah White, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026

Michigan’s winters are severe, protracted, and relentless. —Connie Etemadi, Freep.com, 17 Jan. 2026

Migration, identity, and the future of the West At the heart of these tensions lies Europe’s protracted migration challenge. —Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026

One can definitely look forward to more focused product development, protracted timescales for characterization projects, and a much heavier focus on monetization right from day one. —Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026