as in prolonged
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as in lengthened
to make longer
the highway project was protracted by years of litigation
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Recent Examples of protracted
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Whether the Russian military is capable of protecting the capital amid a protracted and bloody war with Ukraine appears to be an open question now.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
The Ravens conducted a protracted search, hiring Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter — one of Harbaugh’s former assistants — as the franchise’s fourth head coach.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Like past reauthorizations, FISA 702's renewal has sparked a protracted debate on Capitol Hill over if and how the tool should be modified.
—Eric McDaniel, NPR, 17 Apr. 2026
Protesters pointed to the war in Iran, as well as a protracted government funding standoff over immigration enforcement that has left airport security lines snarled and federal workers unpaid.
—Nik Popli, Time, 28 Mar. 2026
Opponents will note the Vietnam draft didn’t prevent a protracted, catastrophic war.
—Zach Iscol, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
Many of those surveyed said homelessness, loitering, drug use and public nuisances, along with protracted and intensive municipal construction projects, deter customers from visiting establishments.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
Trump has criticized his Democratic predecessors for engaging in protracted conflicts in the Middle East.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
Jay Peters, The Verge, 30 Apr. 2026
The back-and-forth between Kehoe and Johnson offered a window into a yearslong, protracted debate over Missouri’s gun laws, among the loosest in the nation.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
An amusing film if not altogether convincing, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is protracted and exceedingly hampered by imitation.
—Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
Know More Hochstein noted that complex nuclear deals involve protracted negotiations on issues such as verification, enrichment levels, and reporting.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Neither side has retreated from their maximalist claims, signaling that talks could be protracted.
—Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed the agreement at the Australian Parliament House after protracted negotiations that began in 2018.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
And, creditors generally prefer payment to protracted legal battles, so reaching out with a potential solution and negotiating an agreement both parties sign off on could accelerate resolution.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
But when a trio of dangerous outsiders interrupt the deadly weekend getaway Dan and Lisa had planned, what should have been a game of marital cat and mouse turns into a deliciously gory, if overly protracted, battle for survival.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The already acrimonious relationship continued to sour amid a protracted and bitter legal battle, and as Dan started dating Kolkena, before eventually proposing to her.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Whether the Russian military is capable of protecting the capital amid a protracted and bloody war with Ukraine appears to be an open question now.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
The Ravens conducted a protracted search, hiring Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter — one of Harbaugh’s former assistants — as the franchise’s fourth head coach.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Like past reauthorizations, FISA 702's renewal has sparked a protracted debate on Capitol Hill over if and how the tool should be modified.
—Eric McDaniel, NPR, 17 Apr. 2026
Protesters pointed to the war in Iran, as well as a protracted government funding standoff over immigration enforcement that has left airport security lines snarled and federal workers unpaid.
—Nik Popli, Time, 28 Mar. 2026
Opponents will note the Vietnam draft didn’t prevent a protracted, catastrophic war.
—Zach Iscol, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
Many of those surveyed said homelessness, loitering, drug use and public nuisances, along with protracted and intensive municipal construction projects, deter customers from visiting establishments.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
Trump has criticized his Democratic predecessors for engaging in protracted conflicts in the Middle East.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
After some protracted legal drama, Subnautica 2 is finally about to launch.
—Jay Peters, The Verge, 30 Apr. 2026
The back-and-forth between Kehoe and Johnson offered a window into a yearslong, protracted debate over Missouri’s gun laws, among the loosest in the nation.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
An amusing film if not altogether convincing, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is protracted and exceedingly hampered by imitation.
—Gregory Nussen, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
Know More Hochstein noted that complex nuclear deals involve protracted negotiations on issues such as verification, enrichment levels, and reporting.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Neither side has retreated from their maximalist claims, signaling that talks could be protracted.
—Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed the agreement at the Australian Parliament House after protracted negotiations that began in 2018.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
And, creditors generally prefer payment to protracted legal battles, so reaching out with a potential solution and negotiating an agreement both parties sign off on could accelerate resolution.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
But when a trio of dangerous outsiders interrupt the deadly weekend getaway Dan and Lisa had planned, what should have been a game of marital cat and mouse turns into a deliciously gory, if overly protracted, battle for survival.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protracted
Adjective
-
However, the Andes virus type aboard the Hondius is known to spread between people, albeit rarely, and most often from prolonged, close contact with a symptomatic person who has the respiratory disease, according to the CDC.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
-
Found in the southern Andes region of Argentina and Chile, the Andes strain has been associated with rare human-to-human transmission after close, prolonged contact with an ill infected person.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Osceola County, currently contained entirely within District 9, will be chopped into two districts despite 9 being lengthened and extended well to the south.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
-
The one concern with Mesidor are the injury issues that lengthened his stay in the college ranks to six years.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Despite the outraged headlines, the proposal doesn’t go very far in allowing these products to meander through the interminable federal review process.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
-
The dialogue soon grew interminable.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This and that With his double, Lopez extended his hit streak to nine games.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
-
Fitbit users who haven’t migrated their data to a Google account by May 19 will no longer be able to access the platform, a deadline that was extended from February.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The errand conveniently provided the opportunity for a longish highway test of Lexus’ newest luxury people-mover.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
From the looming white-domed oven emerge the flakiest pies, feteer, built of gauzy layers of dough, pressed with ghee and stretched, then folded one inside another around your choice of filling.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
The April 28 City Council meeting stretched into its eighth hour.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Some unnecessary, overlong scenes do drag, allowing the audience to get sidetracked.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
6 May 2026
-
This solid, slightly-overlong watch is best at capturing how time and trauma turn daily life into valuable history.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Glas said many producers understandably believed that given the gap in IEEPA tariff rates between free-trade-agreement qualifying countries in the Western Hemisphere and those in Asia — which amounted by about 10 percentage points in most cases — sourcing from the Americas should have increased.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
-
European countries and Canada have increased defense spending and military recruitment efforts over the last year in response to Trump’s threats.—
Mark Carlson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protracted. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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