prolong

American  

[pruh-lawng, -long] / prəˈlɔŋ, -ˈlɒŋ /

verb (used with object)

• prolongs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prolonged,
  past participle,  past
• prolonging
  present participle

1. to lengthen out in time; extend the duration of; cause to continue longer.

   to prolong one's stay abroad.

   Antonyms:

   abbreviate

2. to make longer in spatial extent.

   to prolong a line.

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prolong British  

/ prəˈlɒŋ, ˌprəʊlɒŋˈɡeɪʃən /

verb

1. (tr) to lengthen in duration or space; extend

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Synonym Usage

See lengthen.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prolongableness
  noun
• prolongation
  noun
• prolonger
  noun
• prolongment
  noun
• prolongable
  adjective
• unprolongable
  adjective
• prolongably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• prolonging
  present
• prolonged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• prolong
  simple
• prolongs
  simple
• have prolonged
  perfect
• has prolonged
  perfect
• am prolonging
  progressive
• are prolonging
  progressive
• is prolonging
  progressive
• have been prolonging
  perfect progressive
• has been prolonging
  perfect progressive

Past

• prolonged
  simple
• had prolonged
  perfect
• was prolonging
  progressive
• were prolonging
  progressive
• had been prolonging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will prolong
  simple
• will have prolonged
  perfect
• will be prolonging
  progressive
• will have been prolonging
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of prolong

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English prolongen, from Late Latin prōlongāre “to lengthen,” equivalent to prō- “forward, forth” + long(us) “long” + -ā- theme vowel + -re infinitive ending; see pro- ¹, long ¹

Explanation

I don't want to prolong this definition, so I'll keep it short. To prolong is to make something last longer or to stretch it out in time. You see the word long in prolong and it's no trick. If you prolong an argument with a sibling, you make it longer than it naturally would be. Prolong always has to do with time. When you stretch your neck or a piece of cloth to make it appear longer, you are elongating, not prolonging, it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prolong prolongs prolonged prolonging

His base case continues to be that the Fed chair’s challenges on inflation and bond yields, the upcoming midterm elections and the end of earnings season catalysts will prolong the near-term choppiness.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

El Niño is expected to prolong an existing unrelated marine heat wave that would otherwise typically start fading between October and December, scientists say.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

The free-hitting Russian, 28, was rewarded for his persistence when he took his first set in four meetings with former world number one Djokovic to prolong the contest beyond the three-hour mark.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

Khavinson, who received one of Russia’s highest state awards from Putin for achievements in medicine, said in interviews that he sought to prolong the life of a leader whose departure would throw Russia into crisis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

Perhaps we would not be so anxious to prolong life if we did not detest so much the sickness of withdrawal.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Polling by Abacus Data shows nearly 70% of Canadians want Ottawa to hold firm in negotiations, even if it prolongs economic pain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

"That only prolongs what will eventually happen: a negotiated settlement."

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

"We need to make a choice - do we want to have an economic way forward or a way forward that increases and prolongs life?" he told BBC News NI.

From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2024

The key to unlocking the power of gratitude from family members is in reflecting on and savoring those events of appreciation because this prolongs and amplifies the experience, Lanaj explained.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 19, 2024

This little bit of food he’s able to bring to her prolongs her life just a little more, keeping her with us just a little longer.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung

Patients on Medicaid were more likely to experienced prolonged wait times than the privately insured for five cancers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Rather than making a sudden transition from water to land, insects appear to have undergone a prolonged evolutionary process.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026

One reason employers are hesitant to hire those who have been out of the workforce for a prolonged period of time is that they believe skills atrophy.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

The prolonged hot weather created ideal conditions for the subtropical species to reproduce naturally, as the sand retained heat accumulated during the day.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

And if that was not enough for fame, there was also his prolonged vigour to marvel at.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Instead, he had to halt his throwing progression multiple times for flare-ups, prolonging his time on the IL.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Talks to end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz hit an impasse this week, prolonging disruptions to shipping through one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

By Friday and into the weekend, pressure will build across the southern half of the UK prolonging the dry spell further, despite a few showers continuing in the north.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Cloudflare said it chose to lay off so many people at once to avoid “dragging” its reorganization across multiple quarters, which would slow it down while prolonging uncertainty for workers.

From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026

Because he couldn’t stand the torment of prolonging things, he broke their embrace.

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner

Related Words

• continue
• delay
• drag out
• lengthen
• perpetuate
• protract
• stall