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.
The protracted crisis in China's real estate market -- long a key driver of national growth -- has heavily impacted the country's economy.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Alexander Isak's protracted £125m move to Liverpool dominated last summer's transfer window and there are signs that Manchester City's pursuit of Enzo Fernandez could follow a similar pattern.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
The Zurich Cantonal Bank said in a market commentary that the settlement "brings clarity" to a protracted legal dispute, where the litigation has been disclosed as a risk factor in every annual report since 2016.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
That growth was driven primarily by assets it bought from Hess last year, following a protracted arbitration fight with Exxon, as well as the Permian.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
It’s only the first labor, which is almost always protracted.
From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway
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.
