prolong
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to lengthen out in time; extend the duration of; cause to continue longer.
to prolong one's stay abroad.
- Antonyms:
- abbreviate
-
to make longer in spatial extent.
to prolong a line.
verb
Related Words
See lengthen.
Other Word Forms
- prolongable adjective
- prolongableness noun
- prolongably adverb
- prolongation noun
- prolonger noun
- prolongment noun
- unprolongable adjective
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; pro- 1, long 1
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.
Oil prices were already rising as tension with Iran was rising, and now a prolonged conflict might raise the possibility that the central bank’s next move would be to raise interest rates, Anderson added.
From MarketWatch
A prolonged conflict might raise the possibility that the central bank’s next move would be to raise interest rates, he added.
From MarketWatch
However, weather conditions can shorten the process to four days or prolong it for as long as a month, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
From Los Angeles Times
It’s a great outcome for Paramount, which only had to raise its hostile tender offer by $1 a share to avoid a prolonged bidding war.
From Barron's
Its tendency to suffer prolonged selloffs creates something called sequence of return risk.
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.
