prolonged

[pruh-lawngd, -longd]

adjective

1. lasting a long time; lengthy.

   Regular or prolonged absence from school without a valid reason may result in the absentee being barred from examinations.

2. lengthened or extended in time or space.

   Technological innovations in the ICU have led to artificially prolonged life, with associated costs.

   Abnormally shortened or prolonged telomeres are a hallmark of cancer.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of prolong.

Other Word Forms

• unprolonged adjective
• well-prolonged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of prolonged¹

prolong ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

But the UK does not often experience prolonged very cold weather, and some winters are so mild that it feels as if we skipped the season all together.

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Instances of emotional dependence and fantastical beliefs due to prolonged interactions with chatbots seemed to spread this year.

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Volcanoes, though, can enter prolonged phases of unrest and unpredictability that can last many years.

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An increased speed of build-up and reduced passing quality from their defence result in increased turnovers and fewer prolonged possessions.

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New research warns that dangerously hot and prolonged heatwaves will increasingly become the norm if progress toward net zero carbon emissions continues to stall.

Read more on Science Daily