PROTRACTING Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

protracting

verb

present participle of protract

as in lengthening

to make longer the highway project was protracted by years of litigation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for protracting

Verb

The courts also need lengthening because players are hitting the ball harder.

— Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 31 July 2026
The sandals were set on a leg-lengthening, covered stiletto heel measuring four inches.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 28 July 2026

Definition of lengthening

Verb

Across the country, rooftop bars are extending their hours, restaurants are debuting fresh menu offerings and final calls at happy hours become the soundtrack for the night, marking the final weeks of summer.

— Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Angel Reese and Naz Hillmon combined for 39 points, and Atlanta pulled away late to beat the Seattle Storm 98-89 at Gateway Center Arena, extending the Dream's winning streak to five games.

— Christopher Harris, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of extending

Verb

Hinch directed questions about the timing of this move to the front office, but the Tigers clearly did not view any PPI possibilities as worth the cost of prolonging Clark’s ascension to the majors.

— Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Saudi Arabia's leaders are trying to avoid further regional escalation that would risk miscalculation or prolonging of the war.

— Margaret Brennan, CBS News, 30 July 2026

Definition of prolonging

Verb

The attacks targeted Kyiv and nine other regions, the president said, stretching from Lviv in the country's west and its border with Poland to Sumy and Kharkiv in the northeast of the country, close to the border with Russia.

— David Brennan, ABC News, 30 July 2026
The impending impact, scientists say, offers a chance to analyze the crater and plume of dust stretching several miles above the surface.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 30 July 2026

Definition of stretching

Verb

Instead, pick three to five movements that match your fitness level and focus on performing each with good form before increasing the difficulty.

— RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 29 July 2026
Across much of the world, increasing longevity combined with decades of declining birth rates is fundamentally changing the composition of the labor force.

— Sheila Callaham, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of increasing

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

protracted

protracting

protraction

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Protracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protracting. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of protracting

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on protracting

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

highfalutin

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes