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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing prolong
Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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ACT Vocabulary List
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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.
Rates started rising quickly again in March after the start of the war with Iran, which could prolong the slow sales pace.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
However, Chatterjee argues that Seagate and Western Digital are taking an approach that could prolong the hard-drive upcycle and justifies a sustained higher valuation.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
Babies can be identified as having SMA through a heel prick test and early treatment can prolong their lives.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
That would prolong any gains seen in benchmark crude prices, he told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 6, 2026
Many times he would prolong the talks beyond the expected limit and let them drift into comments of a domestic nature.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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.
