longstanding

American  

[lawng-stan-ding, long-] / ˈlɔŋˈstæn dɪŋ, ˈlɒŋ- /

adjective

1. existing or occurring for a long time.

   a longstanding feud.

   Synonyms:

   long-lasting, lasting, enduring

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Etymology

Origin of longstanding

First recorded in 1595–1605; long ¹ + standing

Explanation

Anything longstanding has been around for a long time. If it's a longstanding tradition for your school's senior class to play a prank, that means it was even going on back when your grandfather's class let hundreds of crickets loose in the halls. Humans keeping cats as pets is a longstanding custom, and the habit of cooking food before eating it is also longstanding. You can call yourself a longstanding customer of your town's last remaining video store if you've been going there for years, or a longstanding fan of your favorite tennis player if you've followed her entire career. The adjective longstanding has been around since the early 1800s, so it's longstanding too.

Example Sentences

The court heard there had been longstanding "bad blood" between Sharman and her neighbours, Alun and Jane Jones, often centred on parking.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

The Eastern District of California said the time it spent reviewing her alleged misconduct was a “waste of limited time and judicial resources in a district that has labored under a longstanding caseload crisis.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

That is how the ruling got around the section of the longstanding Communications Decency Act that has generally shielded internet companies from being found liable for content users post on their platforms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

“This is the tip of the inflation iceberg,” warns longstanding Social Security analyst Mary Johnson.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Recent breakthroughs in physics, made possible in part by fantastic new technologies, suggest answers to some of these longstanding questions.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking