prolong

American  

[pruh-lawng, -long] / prəˈlɔŋ, -ˈlɒŋ /

verb (used with object)

• prolongs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prolonged,
  past participle,  past
• prolonging
  present participle

1. to lengthen out in time; extend the duration of; cause to continue longer.

   to prolong one's stay abroad.

   Antonyms:

   abbreviate

2. to make longer in spatial extent.

   to prolong a line.

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prolong British  

/ prəˈlɒŋ /

verb

1. (tr) to lengthen in duration or space; extend

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Synonym Usage

See lengthen.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prolongableness
  noun
• prolongation
  noun
• prolonger
  noun
• prolongment
  noun
• prolongable
  adjective
• unprolongable
  adjective
• prolongably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• prolonging
  present
• prolonged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• prolong
  simple
• prolongs
  simple
• have prolonged
  perfect
• has prolonged
  perfect
• am prolonging
  progressive
• are prolonging
  progressive
• is prolonging
  progressive
• have been prolonging
  perfect progressive
• has been prolonging
  perfect progressive

Past

• prolonged
  simple
• had prolonged
  perfect
• was prolonging
  progressive
• were prolonging
  progressive
• had been prolonging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will prolong
  simple
• will have prolonged
  perfect
• will be prolonging
  progressive
• will have been prolonging
  perfect progressive

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; see 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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prolong prolongs prolonged prolonging

Higher interest rates threaten to prolong private equity’s record $349 billion backlog of “zombie funds,” making exits harder, squeezing fee income and potentially forcing some firms to shrink.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

But renewed fighting in the Middle East could prolong the struggle to bring inflation back down.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

His base case continues to be that the Fed chair’s challenges on inflation and bond yields, the upcoming midterm elections and the end of earnings season catalysts will prolong the near-term choppiness.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

“I feel like that’s helped prolong my career. … You can take what you want and take what works for you … that’s kind of the advice I give.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026

The same principle would also prolong the harsh realities of life for poor blacks like Ann Atwater, let alone for the equally poor, and increasingly threatened, whites like C. P. Ellis.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

But, for people without symptoms or high-risk conditions, the American College of Radiology says there is not enough evidence to recommend it and no documented proof that it prolongs life or is cost-effective.

From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026

In Jharkhand, protesters say the uncertainty only prolongs the wait.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

It prolongs an earlier easing of sanctions that expired on April 11.

From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026

“To deny that only prolongs the situation and puts off any way of reckoning with it. We have to face it in order to understand that it’s within our human nature.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026

Her lightness prolongs both our suffering but it is my safety since he has great speed that he has never yet employed.

From "The Old Man and The Sea" by Ernest Hemingway

Local activists told a different story: It was kids’ prolonged isolation from their families that caused them to languish.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

She cites prolonged energy and commodity price pressures as U.S.-Iran tensions continue as well as renewed weakness in Asian currencies against the dollar after the Fed hiked rates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The Marin County Sheriff’s Office coroner’s division identified him as Daniel Zhengyu Qin, 35, of San Jose, adding that he died “despite prolonged resuscitative efforts.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

The big risk for investors in autocallables, though, is a major drawdown in the reference assets that fails to recover back above the maturity barrier in a severe and prolonged bear market.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

The murp came again, a shriek hoarse from prolonged suffering.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer

Instead, he had to halt his throwing progression multiple times for flare-ups, prolonging his time on the IL.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Many operators now avoid the passage and send ships instead around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope, vastly prolonging the journey between Asia and Europe and driving up fuel costs and emissions.

From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026

Burns specialists said the injuries caused by heated squishy toys can be particularly severe because the gel inside can remain extremely hot and get stuck to the skin, prolonging the burn.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

Cloudflare said it chose to lay off so many people at once to avoid “dragging” its reorganization across multiple quarters, which would slow it down while prolonging uncertainty for workers.

From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026

I struggle to figure out something to say, but nothing that comes to mind seems appropriate, so I just end up staying quiet, prolonging the awkwardness.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Related Words

• continue
• delay
• drag out
• lengthen
• perpetuate
• protract
• stall