long-lasting
Americanadjective
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enduring or existing for a long period of time.
a long-lasting friendship.
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effective for a relatively long period of time.
a long-lasting pain reliever.
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resisting the effects of wear or use over a long period.
a long-lasting fabric used for work clothes.
Etymology
Origin of long-lasting
First recorded in 1520–30
Explanation
Long-lasting things stick around for a while. If the medicine you're taking for your sore throat has long-lasting side effects, they'll affect you for many weeks or even months. A long-lasting relationship lasts for years, and long-lasting makeup stays on your face all day, until you wash it off at night. This adjective can mean that something is durable or resilient, or in other words that it holds up over time. Other things are simply long-lasting by coincidence — they've just been there for a long time.
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.
Long-lasting, low-grade inflammation is known to contribute to many conditions associated with aging, including heart disease, frailty, and cognitive decline.
From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026
Long-lasting “forever chemicals,” which are potentially harmful to people, wildlife and the environment, were found in 18 out of 20 brands of paper straws, Belgian researchers found.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 25, 2023
Long-lasting financial uncertainty in Welsh rugby reached crisis point during the 2023 Six Nations with Wales' international players threatening not to play England amid an impasse that had lasted since the summer of 2022.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2023
Long-lasting manufactured goods accounted for the decline, with nondurable goods sales rising moderately.
From Reuters • Jan. 10, 2023
The Master said, Long-lasting has my prayer been.
From The Sayings Of Confucius by Lyall, Leonard Arthur
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.
