Meaning & use
lengthen
To make something longer, or to become longer, in distance, size, or time.
See it in a sentence
The tailor agreed to lengthen the trousers by two inches.
Days gradually lengthen as summer approaches in the northern hemisphere.
A note on using this word
Lengthen works both transitively (lengthen a rope) and intransitively (the days lengthen).
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
shorten
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lengthen”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.