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
- lengthily adverb
- lengthiness noun
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.
Other similarly lengthy winning streaks within the broader technology space have preceded big drawdowns over the past year.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 novel “East of Eden” begins with a lengthy and exhaustive description of the Salinas Valley.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
In reality, provisions giving “consent” to arbitration are often contained within lengthy contracts and go unnoticed.
From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026
There is a bit of flexibility, but beyond a certain point it requires building additional infrastructure, a costly and lengthy undertaking.
From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026
Sequoyah observed that white people made marks on paper, and that they derived great advantage by using those marks to record and repeat lengthy speeches.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
