lengthy
Americanadjective
-
having or being of great length; very long.
a lengthy journey.
-
tediously verbose; very long; too long.
a lengthy speech.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lengthy
Explanation
Lengthy things are long and drawn out. Your teacher's lengthy lecture might extend far beyond the end of class and leave many people dozing at their desks. The adjective lengthy is almost always used to describe a duration of time (or sometimes a long piece of writing), rather than the physical length of something. So long-lasting speeches and endless waits at the bus stop could both be called lengthy, but you wouldn't describe your friend's long hair that way. Lengthy is an 18th century American invention, also adopted by the British in the nineteenth century.
Vocabulary lists containing lengthy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“However, this is an extremely unusual and lengthy sentence for a first time offender who committed nonviolent crimes.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
In a lengthy letter to the court ahead of his sentencing, Fleming acknowleged his shame over his part in Perry's death.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
A VAR intervention in England has been a talking point for the past few days after West Ham were denied a late equaliser against Arsenal after a lengthy check.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
That means job candidates may be in for a tough, lengthy search, even as the economy added 115,000 jobs last month, topping forecasts.
From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026
Very late in the evening, Chandresh has a rather lengthy conversation with the ghost of an old acquaintance he knew only as Prospero the Enchanter.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
