prolonged

American  

[pruh-lawngd, -longd] / prəˈlɔŋd, -ˈlɒŋd /

adjective

1. lasting a long time; lengthy.

   Regular or prolonged absence from school without a valid reason may result in the absentee being barred from examinations.

2. lengthened or extended in time or space.

   Technological innovations in the ICU have led to artificially prolonged life, with associated costs.

   Abnormally shortened or prolonged telomeres are a hallmark of cancer.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of prolong.

Other Word Forms

• unprolonged adjective
• well-prolonged adjective

Etymology

Origin of prolonged

prolong ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Something prolonged is long and drawn-out — it's taking longer than it should. A prolonged wait is usually annoying. If a fan throws a drink on the court during a basketball game and it takes an hour to clean it up, and then another hour to re-wax the floor, and then another hour for the players to warm up again...that's a prolonged delay. Anything prolonged has been stretched out further than it should be. America's war with Vietnam was prolonged much longer than anyone expected. If something is tedious, time-consuming, and feels like it's taking forever, it's prolonged.

Example Sentences

If there is prolonged escalation, the higher energy prices should eventually hit the economy which means growth slows and rates should fall.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

It is possible that Tehran feels it can absorb the pain of a prolonged oil shutdown, just as it withstood the military assault and the killings of its top leaders.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Instead, a prolonged slump in the housing market is likely to be extended, given the high cost of buying a home.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas told the BBC a prolonged conflict would lead to spiralling inflation, push up unemployment and lead to food insecurity in some countries.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

All those not employed defending the Abbey would husband the crops and gather in supplies for the larders in the event of a prolonged siege.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques