protracted
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of protracted
First recorded in 1590–1600; protract ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Explanation
Something protracted has been drawn out, usually in a tedious way. Protracted things are long and seem like they're never going to end. Anything protracted is lasting longer than you would like. A speech that seems to go on forever is protracted. If an employer and a union can't reach an agreement, there could be a protracted strike. Before a movie, the previews are almost always protracted — they never seem to stop. If something is long and annoying, and there's no good reason it couldn't be shorter, it's protracted.
Vocabulary lists containing protracted
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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This Week in Words: August 10–16, 2019
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And Then There Were None
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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.
That bill, called the Clarity Act, collapsed this week after months of protracted negotiations when senators officially voted it down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Meanwhile, the U.S. trade conflict with Canada risks making the impact of tariffs on inflation more protracted, and the AI build-out is, if anything, accelerating.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
With the market closed until January, the club are now in the process of finalising an agreement with manager Mikel Arteta over his protracted new contract.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
“With inflation above target for a protracted period, there is a risk of broader price pressures taking hold,” Fed governor Michael Barr said last week.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
After protracted negotiations with the prison authorities, we were permitted to have consultations under very strict conditions.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
