as in lengthened
to make longer
the highway project was protracted by years of litigation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in prolonged
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protracted
Adjective
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Critical Role isn’t afraid to throw in guest stars at the table to add a little spice, with personal friends and colleagues dropping in for short or prolonged stints stretching back to Campaign 1.—
Dana Reboe,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025 -
This dynamic—in which defensiveness and reflexive secrecy lead to prolonged struggles over information that may or may not be important—has been a recurring problem throughout modern U.S. history.—
Kaitlyn Tiffany,
The Atlantic,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This policy appears to have extended to interactions with the press as well.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
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There, organizers counted 6,000 peaceful protesters who filled the State Street Bridge over the Fox River and extended for several blocks in either direction.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Allen’s path to election Like Parker, Allen traveled an interminable road from the diamond to the plaque gallery.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
27 July 2025
-
The apophatic gestures in The Apprenticeship allude to a truth in skepticism, in the interminable questioning that is intrinsic to living—the convert’s ability to live the questions through her relationship to God.—
Terry Nguyen
July 23,
Literary Hub,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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When the front door opens, they’re greeted by an androgynous person with longish hair, thick eyebrows and a deep voice.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
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Pontiac’s Firebird had a longish life in car years, with four generations spanning 1967 to 2002.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Instead of service being needed every 3,000 miles, it is expected to be increased to a range of 15,000 to 20,000 miles.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
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The case occurred in a trial that quickly increased the dose of the pill over a short period of time, the spokesperson said.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That's not inherently a bad choice, but in this instance the overarching story feels both overlong and underwhelming as tiny pieces of the narrative are introduced without being fully explained.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
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And Dorian, despite the visual inventiveness on display, does go a bit overboard and overlong at times, particularly in a late, extended scene that makes use of pre-recorded outdoor footage that allows more than one Snook to race through a forest.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But a fair number of Perseids are typically fast, bright and occasionally leave persistent trains.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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One woman's recent attempt to catch a break from a relentless game of fetch with her canine has become a viral TikTok moment, capturing the sweet and persistent nature of a Labrador retriever.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Protracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protracted. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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